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How TO Produce Clean Milk. 



[Apr., 



purpose so long as they were properly washed and kept free from 

 CMDntamination. 



One point in the equipment of a farm for milk production is 

 supremely important, namely, the water supply for cooling and 

 cleansing purposes. Where this is defective the tenant farmer 

 can hardly be held responsible. Suggestions have been made 

 in the preceding pages as to the means likely to give the best 

 results, but it should be clearly recognised that in some districts 

 the lack of an ample supply of water constitutes a handicap 

 in clean milk production which can only be overcome by con- 

 siderable capital expenditure and fair an-angement between land- 

 lords, tenants and any others interested. 



The relative importance of equipment and methods must there- 

 fore vary from farm to farm according to local conditions, and 

 each farmer should study the problem as it presents itself on his 

 own farm. On general grounds it is interesting to note that in 

 the Inspection Report Card for Dairy Farms issued by the 

 Ministry of Health, 100 points are allotted to Equipment and 

 400 points to Methods. 



Financial Aspect of Clean Milk Production. — The practical 

 farmer would consider this article very incomplete if some 

 reference were not made to the financial aspect of the subject. 



The greatest hindrance to greater cleanhness in the past has 

 been the difficulty, if not the impossibility, of obtaining a higher 

 price for a cleaner and better keeping product. There has at the 

 same time been a lack of recognition of the importance of cleanli- 

 ness in lessening the losses which occur through the souring of 

 milk and cream ; through the production of butter and cheese of 

 bad flavour and low market value and through ill-health and 

 depreciation in dairy herds. 



The first point from the financial side, therefore, is that the 

 loss which each dairy farmer suffers from sour milk or similar 

 causes in the course of the year could be greatly lessened by 

 giving a little more attention to the cleanliness of the utensils, 

 the cow and the manner of milking. It is impossible to estimate 

 the volue of this loss so far as each farmer is concerned and it 

 is equally impossible to estimate the cost of the extra time and 

 labour required to bring about an im.provement. In many cases 

 no extra time is necessary — all that is required is to make better 

 use of the time at present spent in washing of utensils. 



The second point is that cows kept under clean conditions are 

 healthier and able to make a more productive use of their food 

 than those housed and milked without any rec^ard to cleanliness. 



