LOSS IN SEPARATING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19217, 5 January 1926, Page 12

LOSS IN SEPARATING.

•AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. TEMPERATURE ,OF THE MILK. Probably' one of the greatest causes of loss of butter-fat is separating the milk at too low a temperature. An experiment where the morning milk was heated tol 95 deg. Fahr., and the evening milk separated at whatever temperature it was when brought from the yard showed that the skim milk from the former contained .11 per cent, of butter-fat, while that from the morning milk which was heated contained only .03 per cent. Similar experiments carried out some time ago by Mr. R. T. Archer demonstrated the necessity for the milk before separating. Turning the separator at a slower rate than specified in the instructions given by the maker will also cause a loss of butter-fat in the skim milk. Figures given by Mr. Archer in the bulletin on Dairy Farming in Victoria indicate that increased speed, unless at a very high rate, does not cause any loss of butter-fat in the skim milk, but slower turning results in a loss. The loss is usually greater in the autumn, when miiit is more viscous and contains a higher percentage of butter-fat. The addition of a bucket of warm water to 10 to 12 gallons of milk will decrease this condition, and will improve the skimming. A skim milk test reading of .02 per cent, butter-fat means 2-100ths of a pound of butter-fat in 1001b. of skim milk— 10 gallons. Thus for every 10 gallons put through the separator when the skim test is .02 per cent. 2-100ths of a pound of butter-fat is lost. This may seem a ver« trifling quantity, but oven at this minimum the year's aggregate loss is consid?.able. For a herd of 30 cows averaging 500 gallons per year the value of butterfat lost with a .02 reading would be £2 ss. On most cairy farms the loss would be far greater.