348 



.Effects of Foods on Milk and Butter. 



the milk and butter of various kinds of foods usually supplied 

 to cattle. Mr. John Speir, summarising the results of these 

 experiments, the details of which will be found in the 

 *^ Report on the Distribution of Grants in aid of Agricultural 

 Education, 1896-7 " [C. 8690], reports as follows : — 



Rations with an extremely high albuminoid ratio seem to 

 have a depressing effect on the milk yield, well-mixed foods 

 giving the best results in this respect. Every food, when 

 first given, seems to have more or less effect in increasing or 

 decreasing the percentage of fat in the milk. This effect is, 

 however, transitory, and the milk returns to its normal 

 composition about the end of the fifth week. Brewers' 

 grains in the wet state and in excessive quantity may be an 

 exception to this general statement. 



Provided extremes are avoided, the dry matter in the food 

 seems to be the principal controlling factor in the production 

 of milk or increase of live-weight, and is of greater import- 

 ance than the albuminoid ratio. 



The fat in the butter-milk is considerably influenced by 

 the food used, but where the cream was churned at the proper 

 temperature, the churnability of the milk appeared to be 

 less affected by food than the experiments in 1895 seemed to 

 indicate. All other things being equal, each food or com- 

 bination of foods seems to produce a milk which necessitates 

 the cream from it being churned at a temperature peculiar to 

 itself if the best results are to be obtained. 



Soft butters usually contain a proportion of water greater 

 than the average, and if the softness is caused by the foods 

 used, the excess of water cannot be reduced by the ordinary 

 methods of manipulation. Food exerts a very great influence 

 on the melting-point (firmness) of butter, and this charac- 

 teristic may in hot or cold seasons be used with considerable 

 advantage. Nearly all foods exercise some peculiar effect 

 on the flavour of the butter — most, however, do so very 

 slightly, and may therefore be said to be neutral ; but some 

 have a good eflect and others a bad effect. 



Colour in butter seems to be principally derived from green 

 food, and very little from the concentrated foods. To get 

 the best results, some food should alwa3rs be used which has 



