Some Factors Affecting the Stability of Certain Milk Properties. I. Effect of Succulent Roughages on Flavor

Abstract

Summary The results of these studies indicate that: The feeding of molasses grass silage to milking cows has the advantage over either beet pulp or corn silage in that it produces milk which: (a) Has a superior initial flavor. (b) Has a more stable flavor in storage. (c) Is more stable toward the catalytic effects of added soluble copper. The feeding of grass silage prevents the development of oxidized flavor in milk when it is not contaminated with soluble metal and greatly retards the development and lessens the intensity of the flavor when soluble copper is added. Accelerating the oxidation reaction by adding soluble copper to milk seems to be a satisfactory means of demonstrating, more or less quantitatively, the relative stability of flavor of different milks. The feeding of molasses grass silage seems to retard the development of hydrolytic rancidity in milk. The results presented in this article are not as conclusive as those on oxidation and the subject needs further study. There is a significant positive correlation between the yellow color and the flavor of freshly drawn milk from individual cows. A very significant negative correlation exists between the yellow color of the fresh milk and the loss of flavor in this milk during storage. Milks of extra good flavor when fresh retain their good flavor in storage better than corresponding milks of poorer flavor quality. The stabilizing effect on flavor of grass silage seems to be due, in part at least, to the comparatively high carotene content of this type of feed. The feeding of properly ensiled green grass crops appears to be a highly satisfactory method of producing a milk of high flavor stability during winter months in northern climes.