1908.] 



Milk Tests in 1907. 



213 



in a marked improvement in the quality of the remainder. 

 The plan has been tried with success by several farmers, who 

 were in difficulties owing to the early hour at which they had to 

 milk in the afternoon, and consequent uneven hours of milking." 



The following figures have been supplied by the Harper 

 Adams Agricultural College. They are the results of a series 

 •of tests made on the milk of a farmer who retails his own milk, 

 and, as pointed out by the writer, " the importance of keeping 

 the milk well stirred during the time of delivery is well 



■demonstrated " : — 



No. 1— Per Cent, of Fat. 



From the top of the churn ... ... ... 2 ' 70 



Drawn from the chum by the tap ... ... 2 * 70 



After the morning's delivery ... ... ... 3*?o 



No. 2 — 



From the top of the churn ... ... ... 3*55 



From the bottom of the churn .. . ... ... 3*40 



No. 3.- 



From the top of the churn ... ... ... 3 ■ 70 



From the bottom of the churn... ... ... 3' 10 



A suggestion having been made to the Board that the action of 

 the calf in agitating the cow's udder led to the production of more 

 milk, the test was arranged by the Harper Adams Agricultural 

 College, with the following result : — Four cows were taken, as 

 much alike as possible, in respect of lactation period, quantity of 

 milk yielded, &c., but different in this respect, that two were 

 easy milkers and two difficult milkers. At each milking 

 half the milk was weighed and sampled as soon as drawn, 

 and the remaining half was likewise weighed and sampled. 

 Each sample was tested for fat. During the first week the 

 udders of the cows in one lot were agitated after the manner of 

 a calf's action irt sucking, while those in the other lot were not 

 agitated. In the second week this procedure was reversed. 

 It was found that there was no increase in the total percentage 

 of fat as compared with the averages of these cows taken from 

 the College herd records, and the conclusion is that the peculiar 

 action of the calf during suckling is to facilitate the flow of milk. 

 The time taken up in agitating the udder is quite compensated 

 for by the ready flow of milk. 



