A City Milk and Cream Contest As a Practical Method of Improving the Milk Supply

Part 1

Transcriber’s Note: Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: italics.

Issued October 28, 1907.

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,

BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY.--CIRCULAR 117.

A. D. MELVIN, CHIEF OF BUREAU.

A CITY MILK AND CREAM CONTEST

AS A PRACTICAL METHOD OF IMPROVING THE MILK SUPPLY.

C. B. LANE, B. S., Assistant Chief of the Dairy Division,

AND

IVAN C. WELD, Assistant Dairyman, Dairy Division.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1907.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY, Washington, D. C., August 29, 1907.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript entitled “A City Milk and Cream Contest as a Practical Method of Improving the Milk Supply,” by C. B. Lane, assistant chief of the Dairy Division, and Ivan C. Weld, assistant dairyman in that division, and recommend its publication as Circular 117 of this Bureau.

In view of the widespread interest now being taken in the production of pure, clean, and wholesome milk, the contest described in this paper, which was held at Cleveland, Ohio, is of especial significance at this time. The results have been decidedly beneficial, and it is believed that similar contests in other cities would be productive of much good.

Because of the prevalence and danger of tuberculosis among dairy cows and the importance of the tuberculin test as a means of detecting and eradicating the disease, some information regarding Cleveland’s experience with this test and some suggestions for the eradication of tuberculosis have been included in the paper.

The thanks of the Department of Agriculture are extended to Dr. H. G. Sherman and Mr. Howard Strong, of the Chamber of Commerce of Cleveland, and Dr. C. W. Eddy, chief of the inspection division of the public health department, for valuable cooperation and assistance which contributed very largely to the success of the milk contest. Acknowledgment is also made to the Cleveland press for bringing the matter to the attention of the dairymen and the public in general through the columns of the papers.

Respectfully, A. D. MELVIN, Chief of Bureau.

HON. JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture.

CONTENTS.

Page.

The first national milk and cream exhibit 5

State contests 5

The first city dairy contest 6

Conditions of entry 7

Judges 7

Part 2

Medals 8

Letter to dairymen 8

Scoring the milk and cream 9

The dairy-farm contest 14

Principal defects found 16

Value of the contest to Cleveland 17

The value of milk contests 18

Value to the producer 18

Value to the dealer 19

Value to the consumer 19

Application of the Cleveland plan to other cities 19

Extracts from addresses 20

Cleveland’s experience with the tuberculin test 23

Importance of the tuberculin test 25

Methods for eradicating tuberculosis 26

Eradication of tuberculosis from the farm 26

State aid for the eradication of tuberculosis 27

A CITY MILK AND CREAM CONTEST AS A PRACTICAL METHOD OF IMPROVING THE MILK SUPPLY.

THE FIRST NATIONAL MILK AND CREAM EXHIBIT.

The first milk and cream contest in this country was held in connection with the National Dairy Show in Chicago, under the direction of the Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Industry, Department of Agriculture, February 15-24, 1906.

The object of the contest was, first, educational; second, to determine the possibilities in the handling and keeping of milk and cream produced under sanitary conditions and kept cold; third, to test a score card for rating fairly and accurately this class of dairy products. Much interest was shown in this contest from the beginning, and exhibits were sent from thirteen different States. The results were most gratifying, one of the most striking being the demonstration of the fact that clean milk, held at a low temperature, could be shipped a thousand miles across the country and kept sweet for a period of over five weeks.

It was further demonstrated that milk and cream could be scored with reasonable accurateness for flavor, chemical qualities, keeping qualities, etc., where a certain number of points were given to each.

A full report of this contest is given in Bulletin 87 of the Bureau of Animal Industry.

STATE CONTESTS.

Since the national contest was held several States have had similar exhibits in connection with the State dairy association meetings. Among them may be mentioned New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Massachusetts. These contests have proved of great benefit to dairymen, particularly in pointing out defects in the product and in the styles of bottles used, and suggesting remedies for the same. One of the most common defects in milk, and one which can readily be seen, is the foreign matter in the bottom of the bottle, consisting usually of particles of manure, hair, bedding, etc. The presence of dirt indicates careless and uncleanly methods in production and handling. Another common defect is off-flavored milk, which may be due to a variety of causes, as (1) to feeding strong-flavored foods, such as turnips, garlic, etc.; (2) to feeding certain foods to excess, as, for example, silage; (3) to odors of silage or manure in the stable; (4) to particles of manure and dirt getting into the milk, and (5) to not properly rinsing the bottles after using washing powders. Dairymen as a rule have been quick to see these defects when pointed out and to appreciate the importance from a business standpoint of producing milk as nearly perfect as possible.

THE FIRST CITY DAIRY CONTEST.

In view of the success of the national contest and those of several States, it was thought that the plan might be applicable to cities. Steps were therefore taken to give it a trial. As the city of Cleveland had already adopted the Dairy Division score card for rating dairy farms, and as this city was making a special effort to improve conditions in the dairies and the quality of its milk supply, arrangements were made with the Chamber of Commerce to conduct the contest under its auspices. This organization looked after the printing of the entry blanks, score cards, and letters to dairymen and mailing the same; furnished the hall for the meetings and laboratories for the chemical and bacteriological work; offered medals for the best milk and cream and the best dairy farms, and also furnished one judge. The Dairy Division performed the chemical and bacteriological work and supplied two judges. Some 400 producers of milk for the Cleveland market were present at an all-day conference, when addresses on timely subjects were given by representatives from the Department of Agriculture and the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, extracts from which are given elsewhere in this article. Many questions were asked by the dairymen present, which resulted in valuable discussions.

There were three classes in the contest, as follows:

Part 3

Class I. Market milk (raw).--This comprised all milk not “certified” or sold under any guaranty as to its quality. A very large percentage of the milk supplied to our cities is of this character. It was specified that it must not be pasteurized or contain preservatives.

Class II. Market cream (raw).--It was specified that this product should be sweet, unpasteurized, and free from preservatives.

Class III. Dairy farms.--All dairymen having exhibits of milk or cream in the above classes were permitted to enter the dairy-farm contest. These farms were visited by the judges and scored on the basis of a score card (see page 14).

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY.

Entry blanks were prepared for both milk and cream, but as they were quite similar only the one for milk is presented here:

OFFICIAL ENTRY BLANK.

CLASS 1. MARKET MILK (RAW).

P. O. address: ----, ----. Date: ----, 1907.

C. B. LANE, Assistant Chief, Dairy Division:

Please enter for me 6 quarts of milk to compete for prizes offered by the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, March 16, 1907, in accordance with the conditions herein prescribed.

(Signed) ---- ----.

Rules: (1) Exhibitors are allowed to make only one entry in each class. This must include in Class I 6 quarts of milk in bottles (quarts or pints), placed in a box suitable for shipping. (2) The milk to be the property of the United States Department of Agriculture. (3) Every exhibitor is required to fill out and sign the following certificate:

I, ---- ----, hereby certify that the milk entered in this competition is a fair sample of the product sold by me, that it is free from preservatives, and that it has not been pasteurized or sterilized.

(Signed) ---- ----. (Proprietor) ---- ----.

HOW TO COMPETE.

Milk to compete for prizes must be sent by express or otherwise from station nearest the producer direct to C. B. Lane, assistant chief, Dairy Division, care Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland, Ohio. Express charges on exhibits must be paid to destination.

The package should be plainly addressed on outside; a card should also be tacked on box inside, giving plainly sender’s name and address, so as to avoid mistakes in identifying packages.

In order that the milk entered by the exhibitors may be of the same age when scored, it is hereby specified that it shall be drawn from the cow March 11, and shipped by express or otherwise as soon thereafter as possible.

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