The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-07-25
Water In Milk

The excessive wet weather experienced
through June throughout the Eastern
dairy belt has emphatically demonstrated
the power OF Natures forces in de,racting
from the stability OF an animal secretion
like milk Cheese factories that ran ratio
of 10 40 lbs of milk for pound OF cheese
in early May leaped to ratio OF 1910
and above 10 early June. Ordinarily the
ratio should have been but trifle above 10
during the advent month OF summer, but
the feed, being surcharged with moisture,
transmitted the overplus of water to the
tactical fluid with the above result. This
leads us to speak OF the yariableness OF
water in milk when the latter is in its nor
NAL state. Take community OF dairy far
mers, for instance, who at some central
point patronize a cheese factory. Their
pastures are generally characterized by two
well-defined degrees OF soil moisture lew
land aud upland Ono farmer may bave
his pasture all on low land. like a river or
creek bottom ora reclaimed marsh. The
next ones grazing.lot may be divided hall
and half between hard soil and soft, and
| the third dairynam may browse his cattle
entirely on high land. A lactometer test
Of each respective mess will, on COMPARE
son, reveal wide shade OF difference Ia
quality, provided all of the cows are of the
| same breed. In other words, the lowland.
prazed cows will yield fluid containing 10
| per cent more OF water than those favored
with strictly upland feed aud at least. D
per cent more than the animals 10 the IN
termedla,e. This quality discrepancy
works gu injustice to the highlanders
where diaries from both representations OF
soil are associated together for the manu-
facture Of cheese.
The inequality mentioned can be parti
ally or wholly reclitied by proper shifting
of breeds. For instance, ii those OF jersey,
Guernsey or Durham extraction grass on
marshy land, the deteriorated quality OF
their nytural rich milk will nearly bal
ance the enhanced value OF a Holstein' :
Weld drawn from high, dry land. 1t il
not to be supposed that farmers will ever
take the incouveient pains to equaizs breed
and pasturage so as to work fairness in the
factory system; but still the overt fact re-
mains that owners of Holsteins and breeds
Of like ilk have the accendancy over those
who furnish the cheese-vat with richer lac
teal fluid.
A dairyman Of my acquaintance has a
heard OF mich cattle composed OF part
Jerseys and the residue mixed stock. The
milk from the former be sets for butter,
and that from the latter goes to tho fac :
tory. And what other dairymsn rs there
who would blame him for making the div
ision? One bone OF contention between q
maker and bis patrons Is the amount that
shall be deducted from the dairy 3
weight OF milk to balance the quantity OF
rain water the milk may have caught from
passing nights shower. In discounting
milk weight for this cause, the best way is
TO always follow the figures OF areliable
llactometer. With this instrument You
ocuarly demonstrate to the patron the per
cent OF water bis milk contains, and, know
ing that you are not guessing at the
amount he will accept the discount and
feel that he has not been cheated.