COLOSTRUM MILK.

New Zealand Mail, 24 September 1902, Page 62 (Supplement)

COLOSTRUM MILK.

(H. H. Dean, 2Gth annual report Ontario Agricultural College.) Tests of the composition and changes in colostrum milk were made with a Shorthorn grade oow, a Holstein grade, and a cow of no particular breeding. Tho Shorthorn grade oow gave milk with a spooifio gravity of 1.077 and 2.1 per cent, of fat at the first milking after calving. The second milking had a gravity of 1.038 and 4.8 per cent, of fat. The third milking was high in solids not fat, and continued to give the purple precipitate when sulphuric acid was added to the milk. The seventh milking appeared to be normal, with a gravity of 1.035 and 3 per cent, fat. The tenth and succeeding milkings ranged from 1.0335 to 1.034 in gravity, and had a fat content of 3.3 to 3.6 per cent.

The Holstein grado gave milk with a gravity of 1.042 ana 5 per cent, fat at her first milking. Tho second milking tested 1.35 and 5 per cent. fat. The third tested 1.034 in gravity and 4.5 per cent. fat. The gravity of the eighth milking was 1.0355, and the fat oontent 3.9 per cent. The sample appeared to be normal, except for a tinge of purple in tho precipitate after adding sulphuric acid. The eighteenth milking had a gravity of 1.037 and a fat content of 4.G per cent. This milk had a bluish appearance, and, judged by its colour, it would bo classed as poor milk. The twenty-first milking had a gravity of 1.0345 and was apparently normal. The third cow gave milk with a gravity of 1.074 and 1.6 per cent, fat at her first milking. She developed symptoms of milk fever shortly after calving. What milk she gave was very high in colour, low in fat (1.8 per cent.), anu had a gravity of 1.037 at the fourth milking. The seventh milking tested 2.5 per cent. fat. and had a gravity of 1.0385. The flavour was strong. The tenth milking was high in colour, viscous, had a gravity of 1.0326, and contained G.l per cent, fat and 1.0345 gravity. Conclusions: Colostrum milk varies a great deal in fat and total solids. It does not becomo normal in many cases,

so soon as is usually supposed. It is probable that instead of the eighth or ninth milking being fit for table use, in the case of some cows it is the twentyfirst milking before it is normal.