HANDING MILK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1616, 6 December 1912, Page 8

HANDING MILK.

■'.■ POINTS ON CARE AND, TREATMENT. ':■ At no.period in'tho development of New Zealand dafryiigAviis'gbp'il'niiVoured;,milk- -■■'■' more essential'-than at the present time, - '- .'•. ..says Mr.. -William',■'. Singleton,.;.-Assistant . :' : ■■-•:' Dairy Commissioner,,to,.the, 'Agricultural, '•'-■■ "Department,-in an/article, whicheniphas- ■ ises.a''nuuibcr,.of well-kno'wvi,',but often •'.■'; neglected;',points'.-'. To produce, the . best ■■■;: flavour in cither cheese, or., butter, the ; ; . quality'of the"«'milk7--is.'-'6f.-the greatest-im-v :- ■ -.- p6rtanc>;: J .hnd;.-'slibuld:.-lMi':thoroughly;:nn-- '" derstocd; ■• There : are, says -Mr-.. Singleton;- •. two classes of'flavours in. milk,.-viz.: Food- ' and contamination; ..Those flavours of dif- 1 -. fere'nffoods'whiclvthe milk-absorbs from ' the 'animal.before'being-,milked are known .. as, "fcod''.; flavours,, and'are...more- pro- . . *nounced-at'the-time of milking.'..Contamination .flavours are those which' gain acV cess to the 1 milk alter it leaves the udder, of'the cow. -These are of two'•'kinds: one ■" -is due to flavours of certain' substa'nees which are absorbed: by 'the, milk ■;..after - ' milking, while the other is due to the milk-. ;:'"■'. being..diwetly-, infected ; with /bacteria, which'also'takes place a.f some ;tinie sub-. . ;■'■"-'-.■ sequent ;to milking,' Although food flav- . ours as'a rule cannbt.bi entirely.-eliminat-'■■•■ed''still they can be minimised consider- .,.'••' ably by. judicious .feeding nnd-.propcr treat-, ..- ment. Food flavours-are primarily due- to '■ 'the presenco.of-volatile oils-contained in the strbag--flavoured: foods,-', and such ilav- - ours leave the 'animal. through the different ;. secretions Of -the -body.- When the feeding is.done-'shortly, after."milking' these' food 1 flavours largely; passroff through;the other- ' secretions', are not so noticeable in the . milk as. when the feeding.is done shortly ■ before-milking; On the contrary, when the feeding is doiie at milkins-time,:.or ; shortly- . ,-. ■■' .before, the larger portion of th«se flavours; / are thrown, off.' from ..the :,body. .by i- means - '■■ of •the , 'milk:" W.heh'.jt is';a.bsoiutely neces-,, ' eary to" use feeds .which, cause, such disagreeable,.flavours'thei supplier could..lea-. . 6en the" trouble Very.materially :by;-feeding , .-'",. with discretion.-' Thiscould beaccbmplish- /., ' ed, by'giving more .'attention to time;. of : feeding, and 'also by .supplying: the cows' with-some-rough-forage along, with ~ the. - foods which cause -the objectionable .flay-. :'•'. : ' .our.:.;' •''■,'•; ''•;.':'-.■■. .-' 7 '.;'. ■;:■.•>'"'' .-.;'■: ." \ ■■■'~ Whiletfobd- flavbursare -to. ascertain-'- ex- . •'-' tenV-.l*yon^^th^ , c'6nti!ol , . , 'of , ftlie':'sßpDlicr; 1 i i contamination-flavours are.entirely within ... his, control;..but'suppliers frequently ati' ■■■: 'tribute such, flavours to the effects.ci: feed '-;■' .in order to screen their lack of cleanliness; ; ]' '■>.-,- The .principal -tioubles/with/flavours, are ; v . with the: class known as' contamination, '-. "...■' ! and are caused infection.. !':'•' Those, (■■ [...'■■ !'■/' to ;wbi.ch;it. ; .m'ay. b'3.eSpbs^d.'are,'as'a'rule; •:.-."• not. |hose by; ,; J/- ■ jt'he , ;■'.'■' • predominant &fects\in;iavo'ur:.are;.due' : .to i '• ,:"- the action of bacteria which gain access-to' ■ i". , -the milk through lack of cleanliness;in ;./ connection with the milking, the utensils, , '.'-.'- . and surroundings. The -results of some/ex- . ;.'.''.,',-, periments made during recent''years intli- :-''. cate. that. some, of ..the so-called, food, flay- : /,.,;:' ours.are.due to :bacteria,yhicb gain-access; ;-- ' .to, the-milk' leaving .the c6Wi.'.'.-'C;; ; (, >;.'• .; Concerning [ .the.' Tinware';:,,-;' :;;,-';;,„,. ;..</;, , Poorly-made utensils 'arerespbnsible for' i :! a considerable "■qu'aiitity"- of- bad-flavbiircd-, ; •:. milk. -.No rusty .tinware'should'be'used,-' [-;-; , and all' corners: should".'be/flushed -."with. f" '• - Bolder. .'•; These .of teji become'.' proV, !■;.'■ pagatOrs;pf: filttgerras, and-guickly seed JYhichpthey,'c6me,'ihto-cbn' r .. C' ■■-•' ,toot; , I;.-'-■■ cbrners'ias possible,'.-.jflfvitiVis'. the">'cofners- ' •'•' which>;ma.ke....'tho.rp.ugh- 'cleaning:{,difficultV . The operation, of'washing. thetinware-is , ' . one, which, is neglected as,m.uch,as,any ; other, one; thing "in connection-with :: ; the, ,; ; care, of, milk.';., This.! i's,.,bften,left, to !the : !. '. 6kill o|>the.-Smiall-boyiwhft-dTives' the milk- . •.-.' .cart, anbV'whoso chiefi ambition/is.'to get . ■ tho stains r .or,:appearance of.milkon-the. ■■' . ' cans oblitcratedi-'ln'-washing. all utensils- . . 6peoial*attentioi£'slibuld.bo-given- i to'the . . corners/'antl a : brush'shou!d be used rather :-;.'■'. than.a cloth., The cbntaminatiag influence ; ' of dii-ty cloths.is'Obvibus,-'and.!t.hid.t'.th«se ".; are' too ,'frequently-used"caiinot''be : ' gain-: '•;' 6aid. "Sufficienfeattention'.is'nofc given' to .'•;,: 'this, matter, majority; of^'factories. ;..: Top m'ah'ii'VansTasVrulei are washeir'withl ":'■!• ■ vthe,.sato*s^te^;^ndi;^th^tfgh-'.J!ie^first ■■ .': one or"two washed, may /fco'.treated'- pro'-i ';-.- f periy;;.^ll'itj^'Vtfy,'qu'esti6ti'able. l if,-'tUe.'-: I. ;. ' latter';'cnns' are ' not actually - worso after {.', "-pa'ssiiig'tlifbiigK such'.bpe'ratibn. /!. v '■ ■ . '.. PirstMisb tepid water';unti.l'.thp milk is' :.'■■ ,cleaned",frb'm the "tin, then wash with'hot • .' water^and-steam 'thoroughly."At.the farm l,'l wheresteani is not available, boiling water: .' ■■' -I , should ;be 'substituted'.'. After ■ all tinware' hasibeen thoroughly washed and scalded; ..-.. • eet it^in'•'a' , ,bleah;•place'fbi•'a , ■OTn-liot'hjV'b'e-' ■ caure';it : must'\be remembered- that-suri-- , light is one of ,the.lrest;disinfectants.. A ' : ; cloth' sliould nev^r,be.used, for,drying tinware, as'the steam .or scalding water; shouldprodiioe sufficient heat for thispurr -pose; t; ..;,.;,.,■; :\^",-[„.-,:;..-;, l '-i i ;•.! ~,;;■•!',"■ ; ' The Co.wrbyre., K, •..:.>.,... ,:.-»..-' >';',.,; .: ';.--; ' -To guard-against,the' invasion of; the - ; milk by filth-germs .the'condition of "the cow-byre should .Teccive close attention. The iioorsshould.be cleaned after each , '•• milking, and,', to facilitate ,'easj' and thorough cleaning, concrete floors:are prefer- :■'.-- able, i Thess. floors should be constructed, so.that^it'will be..impossible.for pools-of liquid'manure to remain/in the stable/The :. buildih|"'shbuld 'also.b"e",.w"ell,-,lighted,"ah(l \ Bupplied with good'ventilation.. The..walls ;.' ;■ and roof should, be kept -elfar'of dust and • ■ cobwebs,, and' also 'be'! regularly lime- ;■ washed,.which will give a much purer atmosphere ahd tend to prevent the growth: i, -.'of mould. ;..-..:;.-.': .:•.•■-- ' ',:,- .. Many cows are milke.d when- in !an;unBuitablev.condition.: .Milch-cows should . ' always: :lx:-kept "clean, instead "of/being allowed • (and- often- compelled)-to- 'tramp . through slush- mud; and'liquid ..manure.: Bacteriologists ; have . frequently : traced i. trouble,in connection with milk suppliers I ■',-•' to rau'Ses'/produced" by'thesE! and "similar ('■ conditions. This dirt often dries on the . coivs, and finds" its way to the ; milk-pail in the form of dust. All. dry particles -- ■ , ehouldl therefore be • removed from any ! 'place. ,)ikcJ,y,. : to dislodge, them into,, the, ■ milk-pail,,and the udders anil teats.tiior-, oucrhly'.cleatied 'with a, danip-cloth-before - milking. ~ If the udders- are. dirty move '■ thorbughi'.-washin'e- is necessary. ..The hands./pf;/the, .milkers .should, be washed before/starting to milk pacli-cow. For this-n.ur.po-,a. a .drum •■'•an be easily ar- : ranged... To. this,.should be'-fitted a,'tap,' the wast" from'which should; l^ad.to th<s ; drain. The hands .could then, he washed by running water/from' the,. tap/ ..This would' prove much 'fu'o're. sanitary 'and fiatisfactory.ihair the fuse, of the (washbasin witliwatei; which has already served the js neces-Z ' eary that every milker should,bo supplied j. with'a'snit of nveralU'for'use'iat.'milking time, . and to have these cleaned! resularly. Tio many milkers wear their dir- - ticst clothes for this work,:but .milkers . must keep their clothes'clean in-order i to keep the milk pure, 't'hp''.tniUcfiiß should be done with dry hinds ;.otily, the filthy practice nf, hibricating''-the hands with lnilk.fhpnld'.Mn'O^'.iio^circum- ■;•' stances be tole'raredii-"' A;' an. advant'o.g'o'. , whbn.,.cbi,fs":'are' : . : trouble'd! : with sore teats.:-:^-'?'!^':^:;'..;;/;,:-.' ■,::;''"/ i .During tlie'niilKiiig.VHnd .afterwajds; themost scrupulous:.cleanliness I ,'is, /necessary, to keep' the r ;niilk.in : .'',tbe! bcsti.-conditibh; To attain 'this: bbjent:.tlie"'.'milkriiiiiist./'lje; • removed immediat?ly-;'aftsiv ; milking; .tp: some Dlaceiwhereoiiiwill'.-not/be.ciposefl;' to' bad flafcsr.s;,;':;';;/;^ i for the of -the the stand placed on theyyirid,waTd ■; side ' . of the cow-byre oihor' contamihafing influencps. 'Besides being on the ,'wiikl- . ward side, it must necessarily, be some distance away, in order that when'the winds c.ha'ngef'or oii close riiupgy evenings, the milk.rnay/not become deteriorated in flavmir. A'suitable place-can> : gencrally. bo found within Sn.yards :ofcthe'stable or mi!king-shed; ; The milk-stand'-should in no case lie under or in too close, nrox- ! iraity to trees ofi ahv/'yariety; Objectionablo flavnnrs in milk .have'/been traced directly to this source "of infecfiori., ' Immediately after"-the.removal 'of 'the milk fronithe: cow-byre it-.sh'ould.-be.care-i_ fully. sf:rainpd. : -I'tißome; suppliers'*iire iri- ; clined to:belieyeithat"the'straining is a ■ • euro for nil'-the-dirt" that'gets'-'into-the' : milk, 'and : are therefore ;leM : c-irefill in the milking than'is necessary;-.-They evidently .forget that mhch" Pf the' solid mat- ' fer: dissolves on entering, the ;milk, and ! ■ that the 'milk' thereby becomes. seeded with germs, which easily pass through

th'o strainer, and continue their work of deteriorating the flavour of the milk. The strainer requires considerable attention, for unless washed and thoroughly scalded each'day it is liable to become a source of■>' contamination rather than a purifier; A! fine-wire strainer is recoinmended. . .-. .Apparatus for Coojing.'• "■ The following method is suggested where dairy "formers have good well or spring ■water:'-Procure a 300 to 400-gallon tank; elevate same,, and secure a _ good spiral coil circular cooler, a receiving-can, and attachments, and it. will bo found that, milk can easily .be cooled to within two or-tiireo degrees of tho temperature of tile water. . ■ Allowing milk to stand at high temperatures produces conditions:eminently .favourable., for, the growth of' those germs which produce bad flavours in all'dairy products.. The most desirable temperature for' the cooling of milk, to be used for .local consumption is, from 50deg. to '55'deg.,' and, although this is not always practicable, every endeavour should be made to.lower the temperature to a.s near this as, possible. Somo species of bacteria wincli...produce bad flavours do not grow at these.: low- temperatures, while those that do develop grow but slowly, and the development of tho organisms which produon souring is'almost entirely stopped.- For manufacturing purposes, where 'a certain development" of lactic'acid is essential,' a temperature of from COdeg. to' Godeg. will.'.give good results; but it is absolutely-necessary to attain this temperature 'in order to" sufficiently Tetnrd the 'development of the: undesirable organisms. With a good cooler .this will' 'be. found feasible, with the average 1 well water of the Dominion, irrespective of climatic conditions. - . Returning: By-products. '•: The returning, of the by-oroducts in the ' -milk cans is.a' matter-which often has a detrimental effect-on the quality of the ; milk .supply; The suppliers should see that' the ,'skirii milk tanks are thoroughly ■ cleaned . : cach. ; -day,...and, ..if not, no skim .milk should' be.allowed'.to go into the -milk cans; whey,should never be returned in. .the ,c?ns under any circumstances. j-Nof only does whey ,make the cans,more I .'difficult .to /clean,/but the , whey soon destroys the tin,.and thereby-deatroj-s the can. as-it. is impossible to get cans pro- / oerly cleaned when the tin;is,off and.the irnn getting rusty.: . .-• . Progressive dairymen are beginning tto recognise: more and more the. necessity of. sterilising skim, milk- and whey bsfore allowing-it; to form a part of the food ration of young nninials, The Danes'have adopted.' preciiutioiiary . measures in- this direction;: niid .have, by law,: made-the-;pastpnrisati6i) ,|bf.'.;'sldm,"- milk "'compulsKiry; ;lt. is, doubtless,, only. a. question, of time . iwlieri • 'this : systeiri- will.- bo " generally adopted; .. -. , ' '_ '.