Care of the New-Bom Animal 565 



and to take every measure known to prevent its contamination 

 with dangerous bacteria. Some advise the sterilization of the 

 milk, while others are opposed to it. If the milk is clean and 

 free from injurious bacteria, it is better for the young that it be 

 given in the raw state ; but, if it is contaminated or if it comes 

 from an animal which is suffering from an infectious disease, like 

 tuberculosis, it is essential that the milk be sterilized before be- 

 ing fed to the young, if we are to prevent disease. 



The amount of food to be given at a meal and the frequency of 

 the feeding will depend largely upon the size, species and indi- 

 vidual. The new-born young need to feed at frequent intervals 

 and in small quantities ; but, as they increase in age and the ali- 

 mentary tract becomes more and more developed, the amount of 

 food may be increased, while the frequency of feeding may be 

 constantly decreased until it is reduced to two or three times per 

 day. 



During the puerperal state there occur well-marked modifi- 

 cations in the function of lactation, varying in the different 

 species of animals and in individuals of the same species. The 

 cow may milk continuously. If the cow is milked through the 

 entire period of gestation and is not dried up prior to parturi- 

 tion, there is little if any change noted in the milk except that 

 it is increased somewhat in amount just before calving. In all 

 domestic animals there is a tendency for lactation to be well 

 established when the young is born, especially in the larger 

 herbivora, where the young are very active immediately after 

 birth. These must, in the wild state, at once possess strength 

 and endurance to escape from predatory animals, and this 

 necessitates the securing of abundant nutrition in the form of 

 milk- Consequently, in the cow, mare and ewe, the milk secre- 

 tion has become well established before the birth of the young, 

 and the amount is frequently so great that it escapes from the 

 udder in streams for days or weeks before parturition. 



From the 3d to the 5th or 6th day after parturition, the colos- 

 trum disappears and ordinary milk is present, so that in dairy 

 animals the milk is generally considered to be normal in from 3 

 to 5 days after parturition and is sold as human food. The milk 

 has a density of 1032 to 1041 and is composed essentially of water, 

 fat, casein, albumen, milk-sugar and salts. The principal con- 

 stituents of milk are somewhat easily separated by various means. 



