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Show known American importer of live stock, after making an investigation of the industry in Switzerland some years ago, stated that "the goat of Switzerland is the Swiss peasant's cow and Swiss baby's foster mother, a blessing to the sanitariums for invalids, inva-lids, and a godsend to the poor." The milk goat is adapted to this country and the industry is likely to become of greater importance, every year. The goat is especially useful to those who desire a small quantity of milk and do not have the room, or cannot afford, to keep a cow. In fact, a goat can be kept where it would be impossible to keep a cow, and it will consume considerable feed that otherwise other-wise would be wasted. The fact that ' goats are rarely affected with tuberculosis tubercu-losis is another point in their favor. The demand for good goats appears to be far greater than the supply. KEEP BACTERIAL COUNT VERY LOW Main Essentials Are Clean Cows, Sterilized Vessels and Small-Top Small-Top Pails. TESTS ON ORDINARY FARMS Result of Experiments Indicate It Is Possible for Average Dairyman to .Produce Milk of Very Superior Quality. The consumer of milk may sometimes some-times be inclined to feel that its purity Is in direct proportion to the cost of the plant and equipment from which it comes. The dairy division of the bureau of animal industry, United States department of agriculture, has demonstrated that this is not always the fact. Clean milk, with low bacterial bac-terial count, can be produced In ordinary ordi-nary farm barns, provided a few basic principles are adhered to in each case. How Tests Were Made. In order to demonstrate the practical practi-cal value of the three essential factors in producing milk of low bacterial count sterilized utensils, clean cows with clean udders and teats, and small-top small-top pails tests were made on six ordinary farms with the voluntary cooperation co-operation of the dairymen. Five of the farms sent milk and one sent cream to an experimental creamery operated op-erated by the department of agriculture. agricul-ture. The dairy barns were ordinary farm barns, scoring on the dairy division di-vision score card less than the average barns for equipment. The plan was to determine first the bacterial content of the fresh milk and cream on the farm under the existing conditions ; then to place in operation the three factors previously mentioned and note the results. For the work small-top pails were lent to the farmers, together with simple sim-ple steam sterilizers. The method of operating the sterilizer was demonstrated demon-strated to the farmer, who was then left to operate without further assistance. assist-ance. At each milking the milk was stirred by means of a long sterilized pipette, after which samples were taken from each can and a composite sample placed in ice water and tests made within an hour and a half. For 8 period of three weeks samples were taken from each farm under the old conditions, and for the three weekg following under conditions in which small-top pails and sterilized utensils were used. Decrease In Bacterial Count. On all the farms the bacterial count of the fresh milk showed a very great reduction following the Installation of the simple safety method mentioned. The bacterial count of the milk on several sev-eral of the farms was reduced to 3,000 per cubic centimeter. One of the most striking reductions was on a farm where the average count was reduced from 187,000 to 3,000. The results of these experiments are taken by the department of agriculture agricul-ture to Indicate that it is possible for the average dairyman on the average farm, without expensive barns and equipment, to produce milk of a very low bacterial count. These factors, when combined with other simple factors fac-tors relating to cleanliness in producing produc-ing nnd handling, will result lu clean, wholesome milk with low bacterial count. Back-Yard Cow. The milk-goat Industry In the United States has not as yet developed to any important extent. The interest shown during the past has come largely from people who were either raised in or at least are familiar with conditions In countries where the milk goat has proved a success. It requires -time to Hduculc'people to the value or any new industry, especially' ont' "mt lms nt'(11 so greatly handicapped as has been the case with the milk goat. In Switzerland, Switzer-land, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, and Spain milk goats are largely used by families not so sltuafed as to per-uilt per-uilt keeping a cow. F. S. Peer, u well- |