Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-04-30
BABCOCK MILK TEST.
Simple, Accurate and Easily Mastered
With Little STUDY.
BY J. II. Frandson, Professor of Dairying.
Univ, rs.ty of Idaho Moscow.

testing milk and large number O
farmers already use the Babcock test
but IN inquiries have come to the
writer to warrant the assertion that TIRE
subj CT is not yet fully understood
Many seem to have the idea that the
Babcock test is complicated, and al
best an unreliable affair. This is an
erroneous idea and should not be al
lowed to prevail. The test is simple,
accurate and easily mastered by anyone
who will give the matter little care
full study and attention. 1t must be
borne in mind that the accuracy and
value of the test depend not alone on
the test, but quite as much on the
proper taking of the sample. II that
is improperly done the results are OF
little value. For example, the writer
has known OF cow-owners who, when
desiring to test the milk Of an individ.
ual COW, have taken the sample by
milking directly into the sample bot.
tie. When it is known that the first
part Of a cows milk ip largely water
and the last part of strippings isa very
rich in fat, it is self-evident that such
a sample would yield results of:little
value so far as determining the actual
richness OF that particular cows milk.
The milk to be tested should be
poured from one can into another seve-
raj times or carefully stirred with a
stirrer until it is OF uniform mixture
The sample is then Immediately taken,
preferably with a small, long handled
dipper. II the testing cannot be done
soon after the sample is taken it must
be placed in an aIrtight jar and some
prsservative added to keep it sweet.
The Babcock test bottles are gradu-
ated on the supposition that an Is
gram sample is taken. Milk varies
very little in it's specific gravity and
pipette graduated to hold l7.6 cubic
centimeters will deliver approximately
1S grams of milk. When the eample
is ready for testing, the jar containing
it should be placed in warm water and
slowly heated to temperature of about.
| 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the sam
pie we'll; especially see that any cream
which may have gathered on the side
Of the jar is carefully mixed with the
other part Of the sample. The measure
ing p petite is now filed to the mark.
This is done by sucking the milk up
into the pipette above the mark; the
dry forehnger is Immediately placed
over the top Of the pipette to prevent
the milk from escaping. By gently
releasing the pressure the milk is al
lowed to flow out until level with the
mark on the stem of the pipette. The
pipatte now contains the Is grams.
The sample is now emptied into the
test bottle. To do this the test bottle
should be held in slanting position,
the pressure on the pipette released, al
lowing the milk to slowly run into the
bottle in such way as to allow the air
to gradually escape from the bottle.
The next step is adding the acid.
This is measured in the acid graduate;
the exact amount to use will depend
largely on the strength of the acid, the
temperature Of the sample to be tested,
etc. If ordinary commercial sulphuric
acid is used, l7.6 cubic centimeters
will be found approximately correct.
With little individual experimenting
the tester will soon notice the proper
amount to use. To prevent the burn
ing or charring of any part Of the milk
the acid is poured slowly down the side
of the bottle until all has been added.
Now give the bottle a gentle rotary
motion, thus giving the acid chance
to act equally on all parts Of the milk.
Then let it stand three or four minutes,
after which it is given another rotary
movement and then placej in the
tester.
The bottles are placed in the tester
in such position as to keep the ma
chine balanced. The bottles should
now be whirled for five or six minutes
at such speed ss is generally marked on
the machine. The machine is now al
lowed to slow down for the purpose of
adding water to the bottles. Enough |
water is added to bring the contents up
to the neck of the bottle, after which
the machine is again started and run
for two minutes; again stopped and
sufficient warm water added to bring |
all the fat contents up into the grsdu-
ated part of the bottle. After another
whirling of one minute the samples are
to be read. 1t may be we'll to state
that it is preferable to use soft water
and that the temperature should be
about 1a0 degrees Fahrenheit
To read the amount of fat, take one
bottle out ut time. hold 1t upright,
the graduated part should be on level
with the eyes. The difference between
the highest and lowest limits Of the
butter fat column is the amount Of but
ter fac expressed in per cent direct.
Most milk bottles are graduated up to
10 per cent, each large division indi-
Gates one per cent and each small divis-
ion two-tenths of one per cent of butter
fat. To illustrate the method of read
ing let 1t be supposed that the top of
the fat column is at S.5, and the bot
tom at As, then the readings S.54.5
equals per cent fat. This means that
in 100 pounds of this kind of milk
there would be exactly pounds Of fat.
If the testing has been properly done
the butter fat column should be per-
fectly clear, of brownish yellow color;
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