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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRMTURE 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1297 
Washington, D. C. 
December 8, 1924 
EFFECT OF FEEDING CABBAGE AND POTATOES ON FLAVOR AND 
ODOR OF MILK 
By C. J. Babcock, Assistant Market Milk Specialist, Bureau of Dairying 
CONTENTS 
Page 
Experimental feeding of cabbage 2 
Procedure 2 
Feeding an average of 14.3 pounds one hour 
before milking 3 
Feeding an average of 24 pounds one hour 
before milking 5 
Feeding an average of 25 pounds immedi- 
ately after milking 5 
Effect of immediate aeration of the milk. .. 6 
Effect on flavor and odor of cream 6 
Page 
Experimental feeding of potatoes 9 
Procedure 9 
Feeding an average of 14.8 pounds one hour 
before milking 10 
Feeding an average of 29.3 pounds one hour 
before milking 10 
Feeding an average of 28.7 pounds immedi- 
ately after milking 12 
Conclusions 12 
The importance of succulent feeds in the ration of dairy cows is 
such that many crops not grown primarily for this purpose may 
enter into the ration. Cabbage and potatoes, though not grown 
for dairy feeds, are often fed to dairy cows as a means of supplying 
succulence and disposing economically of unmarketable products. 
Like other succulent feeds, 1 cabbage and potatoes may have a 
tendericy to impart undesirable flavors and odors to the milk. In 
order to determine whether such flavors and odors are imparted to 
the milk, feeding experiments were conducted by the Bureau of Dairy- 
ing at its experiment farm at Beltsville, Md. 2 The specific objects of 
the investigation were: (1) To determine whether feeding cabbage 
or potatoes affects the flavor and odor of milk; and (2) to determine 
how they may be fed and the milk handled so as to minimize such 
effect, if objectionable, on the quality of the product. 
i The effects of silage, green alfalfa, green corn, and turnips have been studied and reported in United 
States Department of Agriculture Bulletins, No. 1097, "The Effect of Silage on the Flavor an i Odor of 
Milk; " No. ] 190, " Effect of Feeding Green Alfalfa and Green Corn on the Flavor and Odor of Milk; " and 
No. 1208, " Effect of Feeding Turnips on the Flavor and Odor of Milk. " 
- The author acknowledges the assistance of T. E. Woodward, in charge of the dairy experiment farm, 
Beltsville, Md., and James L. Gordon, herdsman, who supervised the experimental work at the farm. 
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