Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0.001 Render date: 2024-05-22T04:40:47.123Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An experiment on the nutritive value of winter-produced “summer” milk

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

J. C. Drummond
Affiliation:
From the Department of Biochemistry, University College, London
Eleanor Singer
Affiliation:
From the Department of Biochemistry, University College, London
S. J. Watson
Affiliation:
From I.C.I. Research Station, Jealott's Hill, Bracknell, Berks
W. S. Ferguson
Affiliation:
From I.C.I. Research Station, Jealott's Hill, Bracknell, Berks
M. S. Bartlett
Affiliation:
From I.C.I. Research Station, Jealott's Hill, Bracknell, Berks
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. Two herds of cows were divided into two groups for winter feeding. One group was given the usual ration of hay, roots and “concentrates”, the other was fed on a similar diet in which part of the hay and concentrates was replaced by artificially dried grass.

2. The carotene content of the butterfat in the control group fell steadily from 0·8 mg. per 100 g. of fat to about 0·2 mg. between October and March. That of the group to which dried grass was given did not fall below 0·5 mg. per 100 g. of fat.

3. The milks from the two groups were employed in a nutritional investigation on the boys of two institutions. During a “fore-period” from July until the end of September, the boys received the ordinary milk of the herd as part of their diet. They were then divided into two groups which, during the experimental period from October until March received the “winter” or the dried grass “summer” milk respectively. Then followed an “after-period” during which all the boys received the mixed milk of the herds, then out at pasture. The composition of the basal diet of the boys at these institutions was known. Boys attending an elementary school in the vicinity of one institution were also investigated in a similar experiment but no details of their home diet were obtained.

4. Excluding children whose records were incomplete there were 159 in the group on “winter” milk, and 163 in that receiving “summer” milk.

5. Periodically records of height, weight, and chest measurement were made. All the boys were under medical supervision.

6. Statistical examination of the results fails to show that the artificially produced “summer” milk exerted a beneficial effect detectable by the improvement in growth or general condition of health.

7. The most probable explanation is that the basal diets of the two institutions were already adequate in respect to carotene and vitamin A.

8. The variations exhibited by the records of the groups provide another example of the very great difficulty of eliminating or adequately controlling sources of error in a big-scale nutrition experiment of this type.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1938

References

REFERENCES

Coward, K. H. & Morgan, B. G. E. (1935). Brit. Med. J. ii, 1041.Google Scholar
Drummond, J. C. & Coward, K. H. (1920). Biochem. J. 14, 734.Google Scholar
Drummond, J. C., Coward, K. H., Golding, J., Mackintosh, J. & Zilva, S. S. (1923. J. Agric. Sci. 13, 144Google Scholar
Euler, B., Euler, H. & Hellström, H. (1928). Biochem. Z. 203, 370.Google Scholar
Ferguson, W. S. & Bishop, G. L. (1936). Analyst, 61, 515.Google Scholar
Friend, G. E. (1935). The Schoolboy. A study of his nutrition, etc. Cambridge.Google Scholar
Gillam, A. E., Heilbron, I. M., Ferguson, W. S. & Watson, S. J. (1936). Biochem. J. 30, 1729.Google Scholar
Leighton, & M'Kinlay, (1930). Dept. of Health for Scotland.Google Scholar
Med. Res. Council (1926). Special Report, No. 105 (1926).Google Scholar
Moore, T. (1929). Lancet, i, 499.Google Scholar
Orr, Sir John (1936). Food, Health and Income. London.Google Scholar
Palmer, L. S. & Eckles, C. H. (1914). J. Biol. Chem. 17, 191.Google Scholar
Rosenheim, O. & Drummond, J. C. (1920). Lancet, i, 862.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steenbock, H. (1919). Science, 50, 352.Google Scholar
Watson, S. J., Drummond, J. C., Heilbron, I. & Morton, R. A. (1933). Empire J. Agric. i, 68.Google Scholar