WHEY (AS. huurg, IN1Duteh wey, huy, from, Dutch wei, whey, of unknown etymology). A by-product obtained in the manufacture of cheese (q.v.). When milk is curdled with rennet or any similar substance, the curd separates front the liquid portion of the milk, and the latter is termed whey. If skillfully manipulated, the curd contains the casein and holds most of the fat of the milk mechanically. In continuing the process, the whey is drawn oil' from the curd, and later more completely removed by press ing. For every pound of Cheddar cheese made, there is nearly nine pounds of whey as a by product. or a total of about two and a half bil lion pounds, equivalent to seven million barrels, in the United States annually. Its principal use is as a feed for pigs, calves, and sometimes for cows. It is less valuable for this purpose than skim milk or buttermilk, for the casein, which contributes largely to the value of both of these, is lacking in whey. It contains about 93 per cent. of water (only 7 per cent. of solids), 5 per cent. of milk sugar, 0.9 per emit. of casein and albumin. 0.3 to 0.5 per cent. of fat, and about
0.5 per cent. of ash. Hence its principal eon stitntent is sugar. it is, in reality, a very thin feed, and as it spoils quite readily, causing dis turbances in young animals, sonic factories prefer to throw it away rather than incur the risk of feeding it. it should be kept and fed in clean vessels, and, being a carbohydrate food, should Lace grain added to it. In large factories whey is used for making milk sugar. (See SUGAR.) Whey cheese, made in some of the countries of Northern Europe. is practically evaporated whey, with some cream added. Butter has been made from whey, by running it through a separator, but in good eheese-making practice whey contains very little butter fat. Wheyn is a nourishing. mildly stimulating beverage prepared from whey. The whey of goats' milk is regarded by some as especially beneficial in the treatment of certain diseases, and in Switzerland and elsewhere there are large establishments for carrying out the whey-cure, either alone or associated with the gra pe-eure.