Relationship of Methyl Sulfide and Flavor Score of Milk

Methyl sulfide (Me._,S) concentrations and organoleptic analyses of milk from poloxalene-treated and untreated eows fed bromegrass or rye pasture or freshly cut alfalfa were compared. These results were compared with those of the same analyses on composite samples from the University herd during the bromegrass and rye trials and those from two cows fed hay and grain during the alfalfa triah )Ie~S levels in milk from both treated and untreated cows on bromegrass or rye pasture, as determined by gas-liquid chromatography, were less than 12 ppb. Milk produced from treated and untreated cows fed freshly cut alfalfa eontained 36 and 31 ppb, respectively. Milk from the University herd during the bromegrass and rye trials had less than 11 ppb and from two cows fed hay and ~o'rain during the alfalfa trial, 11 ppb ~[e,S. Only milk produced on freshly cut alfalfa had aboveflavor-threshold levels of 19 ppb. Negative correlations were found between flavor scores and ~[e:S concentrations.