Relation of Fodder to Salt Content of Milk 39 



25 (1607) 



The relation of fodder to the antiscorbutic potency and salt con- 

 tent of milk. 



By Alfred F. Hess, L. J. Unger and G. C. Supplee. 



[From the Department of Health, New York City.] 



Five Holstein cows which had been stall-fed throughout the 

 winter were given for a period of three weeks fodder containing 

 practically no antiscorbutic vitamine. The dietary consisted of 

 25 pounds of a concentrate mixture composed of one part of bean 

 meal, two parts of pressed flaxseed oil meal, two parts hominy, 

 two of gluten meal and two of bran ; each received also 8 pounds 

 of kiln-dried beet pulp, 4 quarts of molasses and 12 pounds of 

 straw. On this diet the milk flow decreased at first 10 pounds and 

 later 5 pounds a day. The milk at the end of this period was 

 dried by Just hot-roller process. 



The five cows were then put out to pasture for three weeks, 

 and a day's sample collected and dried in the same way. 



Feeding experiments with guinea pigs showed that the "dry 

 fodder" milk was almost devoid of antiscorbutic potency, whereas 

 the "pasture milk" was rich in this factor, although the cows had 

 been on fresh food but three weeks. 



The salt content of the two lots of milk also showed marked 

 differences; that secreted on the "antiscorbutic free fodder" 

 was considerably lower in calcium, phosphorus and citric acid, 

 but contained a higher percentage of sulphur (calcium oxide .138 

 and .165, phosphorus pentoxide .158 and .190, citric acid .08 

 and .13, sulphur .023 and .014). 



