FIFTIETH ANNUAL CONVENTION 147 



If a cow in full flow of milk should receive a barbed- 

 wire cut or other injury to the teat which would probably 

 develop into a fistula, the correct procedure would be to 

 suture the wound immediately rather than to await the 

 drying off of the animal and risk the consequences of a 

 leaky quarter. The milking tube under these circumstances 

 should always be inserted before attempting to draw milk 

 from an injured teat. 



Rudimentary extra teats should never be removed sur- 

 gically unless for a compelling reason, as it is a very com- 

 mon source of leaky udders. 



Bad Flavors and Odors of Milk. 



Bad flavors and odors of milk are multitudinous in their 

 nature and origin. Some cases are unquestionably brought 

 about by unsuitable feed in the stall or pasture, others prob- 

 ably result directly from a diseased condition of the gland, 

 while in many cases bad flavors and odors are caused by 

 contaminated milk pails. 



Occasionally a cow that is within from one to three 

 months of calving yields milk that imparts a bitter taste 

 when made into butter. Cattle on an impoverished pasture 

 may yield bitter, bad-smelling milk as a result of consuming 

 large quantities of some acrid or pungent weed. An exces- 

 sively rich stall feeding, if long continued, may in time bring 

 about undesirable flavors in the milk. 



In case the milk of all cows in the herd is bad flavored, 

 the probability is that the feed is the cause. If on inspection 

 only a few individual animals are found to be yielding milk 

 that is off in flavor or odor, it is the condition of these ani- 

 mals that is most likely responsible. If, however, the odor 

 and flavor are at first normal, and after the milk has been 

 allowed to stand for awhile become objectionable, the ex- 

 planation will probably be found in infected milk pails or 

 cans rather than in, unsuitable feed or diseased udders. 



To overcome such conditions it is first necessary to 

 detect and remove the cause. If due to diseased udders, the 

 animals may be isolated for treatment. If due to errors in 

 feeding, the errors must be rectified. If due to bacterial 

 contamination, it must be prevented by the thorough ster- 



