The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-06-11
BABCOCk MILK TEST.
Simple. Accurate and Easily Mastered
With Little Study.
By J. Fl. Frandson, Professor of DairyinE.
Univtrsity Of Idaho Moscow.

% A great deal has been written abo
e testing milk and q large number
q farmers already use the Baboock tee
: but enough inquiries have come to II
. writer to warrant the assertion that tt
subject is not yet fully understood
Many seem to have the idea that I'll
Babcock test is complicated, and {
g best an unreliable affair. This ia a
8 erroneous idea and should not be q
Z lowed to prevail. The test Is simple
accurate and easily mastered by anyon
who will give the matter little care
ful study and attention. 1t must b
borne in mind that the accuracy an
value of the test depend not alone o.
the test, but quite as much on th
proper taxing OF the sample. II tina
Is improperly done the results are 0
little value. For example, the write
has known OF cow-owners who. wher
desiring to test the milk Of an indiyid
ual COW, have taken the sample BY
milking directly into the sample bot
tie. When 1t is known that the first
part OF cows milk lie largely water
and the last part OF strippngs Is very
rich In fat, 1t is self-evident that spch
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 small, long handled
dipper. II the testing cannot be done
soon after the sample Is taken il must
be placed In an alright jar and some
preservative added TO keep it sweet.
The Babcock test bottles are gradu-
sted on the superstition that an Is
gram sample is taken. Milk varies
very little in Its specific gravity and
pipstte graduated to hold 17.8 cubic
centimeters will deliver approximately
Is grams of milk. When the sample
ia 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 pipette is now filed to the mark.
This is done by sucking the milk up
into the pipette above the mark; the
dry forefnger is Immediately placed |
over the top Of the pipette to prevent
the milk from escaping. BY gently
the pressure the milk is al
lowed to flow out until level with the
mark on the stem of the pipette. The
oipette now contains the Is grams.
The sample is now emptied into the
est bottle. To do this the test bottle
'hould be held in slanting position,
The pressure on the pipette released, al
owing the milk to slowly run into the
bottle In such way as to allow the air
% gradually escape from the bottle.
The next step is adding the acid.
This is measured in the acid GRADUATED
he exact amount to use will depend
argely on the strength of the acid, the
of the sample to be tested,
tc. II ordinary commercial sulphurie
cid is used, 17.6 cubic centimeters
7ill be found approximately correct.
With little individual experimenting ,
he tester will soon notice the proper |
mount to use. To prevent the burn
1g or charring of any part Of the milk !
he acid is poured slowly down the side /,
the bottle until all has been added. !
ow give the bottle a gentle rotary .
lotion, thus giving the acid a chance I
, act equally on all parts OF the milk. /;
hen let it stand three or four minutes, ,
tier which it is given another rotary :
lovement and then PLACED in the .
,ster. !;
The bottles are placed In the tester :,
such position as to keep the ma u
line balanced. The bottles should q
wv be whirled for five or six minutes Il
such speed as Is generally marked on h
10 machine. The machine is now al .
wed to slow down for the purpose of y
ding water to the bottles. Enough :,
,ter is added to bring the contents up 4,
the neck of the bottle, after which ~
9 machine is again started and run
: two minutes; again stopped and cc
fficient warm water added to bring 40
the fat contents up into the gradu- h;
I'd part Of the bottle. After another n
,irling of one minute the samples are ~
be read. 1t may be we'll to state n
at it is preferable to use soft water r.
d that the temperature should be he
out l20 degrees Fahrenheit.
10 read the amount of fat, take one NJ,
tile out ut time, hold 1t upright, th
} graduated part should be on level br
th the eyes. The difference between wi
J highest and lowest limits Of the III
tier fat column Ia the amount Of but 90
fac expressed in per cent direct. ev
st milk bottles are graduated up to In
per cent, each large division indi- 90.
es one per cent and each small divis- he
two-tenths OF one per cent of butter ami
To illustrate the method of read ~,
let 1t be supposed that the top of cor
fat column is at 8.5, and the bot ter
, at as, then the readings S.5-4.5 ba,
ais per cent fat. This means that
100 pounds of this kind OF milk
re would be exactly pounds of fat.
{ the testing has been properly done ma
butter fat column should be per- enc h'
W Nloor ~ h,orr;sh x.olla tne