1. The incidence of twins has been one twin birth in every forty-eight Red Poll births, and one twin birth in every thirty-three Friesian births.

2. So far as is known no identical twins have been dropped.

3. Thirteen of the fourteen freemartins reared have been barren.

4. The birth weight of twin calves has been only slightly lower than that of single calves. Bull calves have been approximately 6 lb. heavier than heifer calves.

5. The mortality amongst twins is approximately equal to that amongst single calves.

6. Twinning appears to be inheritable and to run in strains.

7. The gestation period of a cow bearing twins has been from 8 to 10 days shorter than that of a cow bearing a single calf.

8. The percentage of twins dropped increased as the age of the dam at calving increases.

9. Twinning is not influenced by the season of the year.

10. The twins and dams of twins have been consistently heavier producers of milk and butterfat than the other herd members.

11. There is some evidence to suggest a close genetic relationship between the following three characters: (i) multiple births, (ii) high milk and butterfat production, (iii) long life and fertility.

1. A modification of the method for estimation of the amino-acid content of foods is described.

A series of analysis of the more important cattle foods is given.

1. The solids content of fat-free milk shows little variation throughout the milking process, i.e. first and last drawn milk are of similar concentration.

2. Curves are presented showing the normal variation in the solids content of fat-free milk throughout a lactation period. These curves are influenced by the age of the cow and by pregnancy.

Seventy boxes of salted Victorian butter were held at 12° F. for three months. Bacteriological and chemical examinations were carried out before and after storage in order to observe the changes which occurred and the factors which controlled deterioration.

The bacteriological examination showed that on the average only slight changes in bacterial numbers occurred during the actual cold storage period. None of the bacterial, yeast or mould counts revealed any positive association with keeping quality.

The catalase test gave negative results. It is suggested that enzyme activity is not an important factor in controlling deterioration of the butters.

The chemical examinations indicated that the variations in curd or salt content did not affect keeping quality. Fat hydrolysis, as measured by ether soluble acidity of the fat, and fat oxidation as measured by peroxide value, did not appear to be important factors in deterioration. Considerable variations were observed in the acidity of butters made from cream supposed to be “neutralised” to the same acidity. Acidity of the butter as measured by titration of water-soluble material was closely related to the pH of the butter. Butter acidity and copper content appeared to be the most important factors controlling keeping quality. The mechanism by which acidity causes deterioration was not revealed by the investigation.

1. Data, taken over a period of eight months, are presented, concerning the quantitative changes which take place in the microflora of sweet-cream salted cold-stored butter of good keeping quality.

2. Tables showing the influence of varying periods of cold storage on the development of acidity, total bacterial count, yeasts, moulds, gelatin liquefying bacteria and types of micro-organisms in forty-nine churnings of butter cold stored at 15° F. are given.

3. There was a slight increase in the titratable acidity.

4. There was a noticeable increase of the yeast count, in many cases without apparently injuring the keeping quality.

5. The numbers of Oidium lactis present tended to decrease.

6. The following types of bacteria persisted in the sweet-cream salted butter in decreasing numbers: (a) various types of micrococci; (b) lactic acid bacteria of non-coagulating and acid coagulating types, including “slow” varieties of Str. lactis; (c) acid with coagulation and gas; (d) rennet digesting; (e) alkaline-forming; (f) alkaline digesting.

II. When added as an oxidant to cheese, copper, to the extent of 36 p.p.m., produced an abnormal flavour and markedly inhibited the ripening process. The remaining oxidants (KNO3, KCIO3 and KCIO4) held the cheese at a higher potential and decreased the amount of proteolysis, especially after five months.

Potassium cyanide had no effect on the proteolysis or the oxidation-reduction potential.

It is concluded, therefore, that normally the flora of cheese holds the oxidation-reduction potential at such a point that proteolysis is diminished if the potential is raised to the oxidative side.

III. Variations in the amounts of pepsin and rennin appeared to have little effect on flavour, texture, body or ripening. There was apparently no correlation between clotting time and extent of proteolysis. The addition of lactobacilli with the starter appeared to accelerate the protein degradation in the early stages of ripening.

1. Kuban fermented milk is characterised by two types of fermentation, i.e. lactic acid fermentation and alcoholic fermentation.

2. The micro-flora of such milk always embrace the following components: (a) a lactic acid producing streptococcus resembling Str. hollandicus; (b) a lactic acid producing rod of the type of L. bulgaricus; and (c) three types of yeast.

3. There is close symbiosis between the component organisms. The two lactic acid producing organisms can function normally in the absence of the yeasts. The latter, however, prolong the vitality of the starter and also impart a specific taste to the fermented milk.

4. Inoculation of the natural starter with Str. lactis results in a rapid multiplication of this organism and an over-production of acid, which imparts to the fermented milk the taste of ordinary sour milk. A similar undesirable taste is produced if the fermented product is prepared from raw, instead of heated, milk.