2 BULLETIN 1326, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
DETAILS OF EXPERIMENT 
The investigation was conducted with nine Jersey and seven Hol- 
stein cows. The cows were giving milk relatively free from abnor- 
mal flavors and odors, and entirely free from garlic flavor and odor 
when fed the basic hay and grain ration. The average daily milk 
production of the cows during the investigation was 31.5 pounds, 
the highest daily average being 44 pounds, the lowest 16 pounds. 
The garlic fed was of the variety commonly found growing wild. 
Only the garlic tops were fed, and at the time of feeding were about 
10 or 12 inches high. They were cut into short lengths and mixed 
jae ground feed, in order that the cows would readily consume the 
garlic. 
Samples were taken from the milk of each cow at the time of 
milking, given a key number and cooled, but not aerated. The 
samples were judged for flavor and odor by experienced judges, 
who had no knowledge of the key. An “opinion,” as this term is 
used in this bulletin, denotes the decision of the judge in regard to 
one sample. 
Using the term “garlic” to signify flavors and odors which the 
judges believed to be due to garlic, the following classification was 
used: Normal, very slight garlic, slight garlic, and strong garlic. 
When no garlic flavor or odor was perceptible the sample was rated 
normal, and when a garlic flavor or odor was perceived the sample 
was rated according to the degree in which the judge considered 
garlic to be present. 
MILK TESTS 
CHECK SAMPLES 
The check samples were taken from milk produced by cows which 
were fed no garlic. At the beginning of the investigation some gar- 
lic flavor and odor were perceived in these samples. A total of 180 
opinions on 26 samples showed only 78.9 per cent rating the milk 
normal in flavor, and 77.8 per cent normal in odor. Although the 
larger percentage of the cases of garlic flavor and odor were rated 
very slight garlic, some were rated slight garlic and strong garlic. 
(See Table 1, group 1, and fig. 1, A.) 
Investigation as to the cause of garlic flavor and odor in the check 
samples showed that at least five of these samples were produced by 
cows which inhaled some garlic odor as they were standing by the 
side of cows consuming garlic. The opinions on these five samples 
showed only 36.8 per cent rating the milk normal in flavor and 34.2 
per cent rating the milk normal in odor. Opinions were equally 
divided between very slight garlic and slight garlic; 23.7 per cent 
representing flavor and 26.3 per cent representing odor in each of 
these groups, whereas 15.8 per cent rated the flavor and 13.2 per 
cent rated the odor strong garlic. (See Table 1, group 2, and fig. 
1; 3B.) | 
After eliminating the five samples from cows standing by the 
side of those consuming garlic, the remaining check samples still 
showed a few cases of garlic flavor and odor which also were prob- 
ably due to the inhalation of garlic odor. However, 90.2 per cent 
of the opinions rated these samples normal in flavor and 89.5 per 
cent normal in odor. Of the opinions designating garlic flavor and 
