UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 1097 
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Washington, D. C. 
September 20, 1922 
THE EFFECT OF SILAGE ON THE FLAVOR AND 
ODOR OF MILK. 
By James A. Gamble, Professor of Dairy Husbandry, University of Maryland, 
collaborator, awcZ Ernest Kelly, in charge of Market Milk Investigations, 
Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Industry. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Causes of taints in milk 1 
Description of methods used in ex- 
perimental work 2 
The feeding of silage 5 
Experiments with corn silage 5 
Effect of condensing on silage- 
flavored milk 13 
Feeding spoiled silage 13 
Discussion of corn-silage experi- 
ments 14 
Page. 
Experiments with alfalfa silage 15 
Experiments with sweet-clover silage 17 
Experiments with soy-bean silage 19 
Discussion of legume-silage experi- 
ments : 21 
Part played by aeration in reducing 
silage flavors and odors 21 
Good flavors and odors in milk 22 
Conclusions 23 
Literature cited 23 
CAUSES OF TAINTS IN MILK. 
Cow's milk invariably has a more or less pronounced flavor and 
odor, but comparatively little is known concerning the substances 
contributing to these characteristics. The flavors vary from those 
that are pleasing to the taste to others which make the milk objection- 
able and unpalatable. It has been observed by several investigators 
that regardless of the feeds used and care taken, each cow imparts 
to her milk a more or less pronounced individual taste. In a row of 
cows receiving the same feed and care, the authors have observed 
bitter, strong, salty, and flat milk as well as that having a very pleas- 
ing flavor. Several of these if sold alone would have been rejected 
Note. — The authors acknowledge their indebtedness to T. E. Woodward, of the Dairy 
Division; also to W. R. Hale, J. B. McNulty, and J. A. Converse, who made the work 
possible through their supervision of the experimental barn. They also extend their 
thanks to R. J. Posson, C. J. Babcock, and all other members of the Dairy Division and 
University of Maryland staffs who assisted in passing upon the many samples of milk 
and cream taken for this work. 
108550°— 22 1 
