495. The effect of prepartum milking on the composition of the prepartum and postpartum secretions of the cow

Abstract

Eleven Shorthorn cows were milked for 14 days before their expected calving date. The total amount of prepartum secretion varied, between cows, from 1 to 961.Determinations of total solids, fat, solids-not-fat, lactose, total protein, ash, calcium, phosphorus, chloride, casein, albumin, globulin, proteose-peptone, N.P.N., vitamin A and carotenoids were made regularly on the secretions of eight of these cows during the prepartum period, and for 4 days postpartum; and, for comparison, on five samples of Short-horn colostrum each representing the total secretion obtained from the two milkings within the first 24 hr. after calving.