Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-09-14

on the market anu
sold upon its merits, bringing from 10
to IS cents per pound. The reason why
butter varies so markedly in its market
value is almost entirely owing to the
difference in it's favor. Flavor in butter
Is that quality which affects the taste,
and 1t is the presence or absence Of
flavor that commends or condemns the
butter to the consumer. Generally
speaking. the principal sources of but
ter flavor are two, namely, the condi-
lions under which the milk Is secreted
and drawn from the COW, and the con-
ditions to which the milk is subjected
AFTER 1t Is drawn and before it is man
fractured into butter. 1t is generally
conceded although some experiments
nave proved otherwise) that as a cow
advances in her period of lactation the
mayor OF the butter she produces dete-
riorates. Why this is so the writer is
not advised. but it is fact, however,
that as cow approaches parturition
the milk becomes more or less abnor-
NAL in that the milk serum becomes
more viscous, the fat globules smaller,
and the milk creams less exhaustively
and churDs with more difficulty. The
navor OF the butter is not necessarily
bad. but there is decided lack of that
nne, quick, aromatic odor which the
best markets demand and are willing
to pay for. The difference in flavor
between fresh cows and shippers Is so
marked that some dairymen will not
pay as much per 100 pounds for milk
from herd where most of the cows
are well advanced in their period of
lactation, even though it be richer in
fat, as they will for milk from a herd
the most of which are fresh cows. An
other condition which affects the flavor
OF butter before the milk is drawn is
the kind and condition of the food the
cow is fed upon. AS important as this
Is, 1t is difficult, with our present
knowledge, to state definitely what
foods should or should not be fed.
Such food as silage, potatoes, turnips,
II sound, are safely fed with modera-
ton, II care is taken not to feed them
Immediately before milking Consid-
cradle fault has been found during the
present year with the use of gluten and
linseed meals. and IL fed it should be
with considerable care and watchful-
ness. There Is no question but that
of the many byproducts on our mar
kets there are some that will affect the
butter produced from them adversely.
The period of lactation and the food
Of the cow do not play as important
part in butter flavor, generally speak
ing. as the conditions under which the
milk Is cared for after it Is drawn from
the cow. These, too, may be divided
into two general heads. First, the con-
ditions which surround the milk or
cream before 1t Is manufactured into
butter, and. second. the kind of bac-
.eria favorable or unfavorable that
ripens the cream. While milk or cream
IS cooling to the temperature of the
surrounding atmosphere it is giving Off
its own odors. and does not take MP
others, but when it has reached a con-
slant temperature it begins to absorb
any odors that may lie present from
any source, and IL these are unpleasant,
as they are quite apt to be, the flavor
of the butter will be affected accord
ingly Hence the Importance of keep
ing milk and cream in a separate,
clean and well ventilated room and en-
tirely away from anything like meats,
cooking or decaying vegetables, the
laundry. etc. One of the most inter-
esting phases of butter making is the
effect Of different bacteria upon the
favor The study Of bacteria In this
connection has engaged, and is still
engaging, the attention of leading in
vestigators in this and foreign coun-
tries. Although a favorable kind of
bacteria is absolutely essential in the
ripening OF cream for the production
Of the finest favored butter, so far ex-
periments in this country have shown
that starter made from selected skim
milk will probably give as uniformly
good results as the use of the expensive
commercial butter cultures that are
advertised on the market as improving
the flavor Of butter.