Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 216, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1917 — PLAN FOR TESTING MILK FOR BUTTERFAT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PLAN FOR TESTING MILK FOR BUTTERFAT

(Prepared by the Urtted States Department of Agriculture.) The milk should be tested for butterfat at least once * month. In taking the sample the entire milking of the cow should be poured three times from one pail to another to Insure an even mixing of the butterfat. Immediately after this, a sample Is taken by means of a small dipper, or preferably a long metal tube called a “milk thief.” The tube Is lowered Into the milk, the forefinger placed tightly over the upper end, and a portion of the milk withdrawn. The milk is allowed to flow Into the sample bottle by releasing the pressure on the upper end of the tube. When the milking Is very small, it will be necessary to Insert the tube several times in order to get a sample large enough for testing. A second sample of the following milking containing the same-number of dips of milk is added to the first and mixed to form a composite sample of the day’s milk. Sample bottles of about one-half pint capacity are used and they should be kept always tightly stoppered to prevent evaporation and should be marked plainly for the purpose of identification. The Babcock Teat. Previous to 1890 creameries and cheese factories paid each patron in proportion to the weight of the milk delivered, regardless of its butterfat content, because no satisfactory method of determining the.fat was avail-

gravity 1J32, is added to digest or dissolve the milk curd and thus set free the fat. Since this acid win eat holes quickly In clothing and will bum the skin, the greatest care should be taken not to spill 1L The acid should be about the same temperature as the milk. The acid measure is filled to the graduation mark, 17.5 cubic centimeters, and the acid added carefully to the test bottle containing the mea*< ured sample of milk, with the bottle held at an angle. The add, being heavier than the milk, goes to the bottom at once, forming a clear layer which turns to chocolate color at tile junction of the add and the milk, owing to the charring of the milk sugar. The test bottle then is shaken with a rotary motion, the mouth held away from the body, until the whole mass Is a- uniform dark-brown or chocolate color; ~ s ——cWhirling the Bottles. Place the bottles In the Babcock tester opposite each other, so as to balance the machine properly. Whirl for five minutes at the speed Indicated in the directions furnished with the machine; the number of revolutions per minute depending on the diameter of the machine. Hot, soft water Is then added to the bottles with a pipette, until the fat is brought up to the base of the neck. The test bottles are again whirled for a couple of minutes, after which more hot water is added to bring the fat column up ln-

TEST BOTTLES IN MACHINE READY FOR WHIRLING.