—_——- | - 
MILK AFFECTED BY DAIRY PRACTICES. 89 
Graphic comparison of the above averages for total numbers of 
bacteria. 
Milker No. 1, 
Regular men, 
Difference in 
favor of No. I, 
SUMMARY. 
The experiments described in the preceding pages seem to 
justify the following conclusions: 
1. FKeeding hay and dry grain just before or at milking 
time fills the atmosphere of the stable with dust. This dust 
then settles into the milk pail carrying bacteria with it, thus 
increasing the germ content of the milk. 
2. Feeding dry corn stover just before or at milking time 
has the same effect as the feeding of hay and grain only ina 
more marked degree since corn stover usually contains more 
dust and bacteria than does hay and grain. 
3. Wiping the flank and udder of the cow with a damp 
cloth just before milking is a very efficient method for 
reducing the number of bacteria which fall into the milk pail. 
4. The practice of brushing cows af milking time is unde- 
sirable. The hair and dust which are thus set free into the 
atmosphere settle into the milk pail during the process of 
milking and very materially increase the germ content of the 
milk. 
5. Stripping a cow dry tends to reduce the number of bac- 
teria found in the milk at the next milking while leaving a 
small amount of strippings in the udder increases the number 
of bacteria which the milk will contain at the next milking. 
This is probably due to the fact that the greater manipula- | 
tion necessary to thoroughly strip the cow removes many bac- 
teria which would otherwise remain in the udder to multiply. 
during the time before the next milking. 
