1909.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 757 



are almost identical with those obtained in similar enquiries at Leeds, 

 Newcastle, and Edinburg-h, the central fact brought into prominence 

 being that the quality of the milk yielded by a cow depends more upon 

 the individuality of the cow than upon any other factor. 



While individual cows vary considerably in the frequency with 

 which they give milk low in composition, the milk of cows giving a 

 large quantity is more likely to be deficient in fat than that of cows 

 giving smaller quantities. Certain cows, however, may give a very 

 small quantity of milk of very low quality. 



In very hot weather, when the intervals between the milkings are 

 fairly equal, cows may give richer milk in the morning than in the 

 evening. 



Feeding Oil to Milking Cows. — (Jour. South-Eastern Agric. Coll., 

 No. 17, 1908). — The question whether it is possible to increase the 

 amount of butter fat in milk by feeding foods rich in oil has been 

 repeatedly tried, with varying results. This experiment, which was 

 carried out in April and May, was intended to test the effect of feeding 

 earthnut oil and cocoanut oil to milking cows in order to find out 

 whether either of these, which are easily procurable, could be used to 

 increase the percentage of fat in milk and to improve the quality of 

 the butter produced. 



Three cows were selected and were fed on the following ration for 

 a preliminary period of 12 days : 2 lb. maize germ meal, 4 lb. dried ale 

 grains, 1 lb. molascuit, 5-6 lb. wheat chaff, 2 lb. undecorticated cotton 

 cake, 50-60 lb. mangolds, and hay as required. At the end of the 

 preliminary period, earthnut oil was added to the ration for 16^ days, 

 the quantity being gradually increased from 2 oz. to 8 oz. daily. 

 Cocoanut oil was then substituted for the earthnut oil at the rate of 

 at first 6 oz., then 8 oz. daily. This was continued for 7! days, and 

 the cows were then turned out to grass, the oil being discontinued 

 and the concentrated food and mangolds decreased. Each cow's milk 

 was weighed and tested for fat after every milking, the milk was used 

 for butter-making, and the Reichert-Meissl number of the butter 

 ascertained. 



Neither oil was found to have any appreciable effect on the quantity 

 of milk produced or on the percentage of butter fat in it, thus con- 

 firming the view that when a satisfactory ration is given to cows, an 

 addition to the food makes no permanent change in the percentage of 

 butter fat in the milk. 



The effect of earthnut oil was to make the butter soft and difficult 

 to work, but it is considered that a small quantity, 2-4 oz. per day per 

 head, may slightly improve the flavour of winter butter. 



Cocoanut oil made the cream difficult to churn, but had a hardening 

 effect on the butter, which was of good flavour, texture and appearance. 

 The Reichert-Meissl value of the butter fell only slightly during the 

 oil period, but a longer test would be needed before any definite 

 conclusion could be arrived at respecting the effect of such vegetable 

 oils upon the Reichert-Meissl value. 



Milk Tests.— (Harper-Adams Agric. Coll., Field Expts., 1908.)— 

 A summary of the results of milk tests made for farmers in 1908 is 

 given in this Report. Attention is drawn to the importance of keeping 

 milk well stirred during the time of delivery to customers, and two 



