1912.] 



Ropy Milk. 



in view of the widespread opinion of farmers and cowkeepers 

 that the quality of cow's milk can be appreciably lowered by 

 the use of such foods. This view has received as yet but 

 little support from the experimental investigation of the 

 subject, which, however, needs to be considerably amplified 

 before the question can be regarded as definitely settled. 

 Long-continued consumption of excessively watery food will 

 probably lead ultimately to a general weakening of the organs 

 of the body and thereby cause a secretion of more watery 

 milk. As a rule, however, the amount of water supplied in 

 the food can vary greatly without diluting the milk. Cer- 

 tainly under ordinary conditions the quantity of milk secreted 

 is quite independent of the amount of water consumed by the 

 animal, the excess, if any, being mainly excreted in the urine 

 and through the skin. 



Although the nature of the food has, in general, little effect 

 upon the percentage composition of the milk, it may have 

 an appreciable effect upon the quality of the milk in other 

 ways, e.g., flavour, hardness of butter-fat, and so forth. This 

 fact must be kept in mind in selecting foodstuffs for the ration 

 of cows. 



The secretion of milk is largely controlled by the nervous 

 system of the animal, and any disturbance of this organisation 

 may have a very marked influence upon the yield and com- 

 position of the milk, the magnitude of the effects produced 

 varying greatly in different individuals. Such disturbances 

 may arise from discomfort, harsh treatment, oestrum, or 

 inclement weather. 



ROPY MILK. 

 John Golding, F.I.C., F.C.S. 



Midland Agricultural and Dairy College. 



Of all the abnormal changes which sometimes take place 

 in milk, one of the most common and persistent is what is 

 called "ropy" or " slimy" milk. Such milk, when poured 

 from a jug, has a rope-like form. A spoon or wire dipped 

 into the milk and then taken out draws after it thread-like 

 strands sometimes over a yard in length. Such an abnormal 



