Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-03-31
The Care of Dairy Utensils.

The Care of Dairy Utensils.
(O.A. Jamison. at Farmers Week. Orono)
The production of sanitary milk is a
question which is becoming of more and
greater Importance all the time. Much
has been written, from time to time, IN
regard to healthy cows, clean barns,
clean milk rooms, low temperatures, and
clean, healthy mixers, but one of the
essential factors in sanitary production
is the care OF all dairy utensils, including
pals, strainers, coolers, cans, bottles,
separators, pasteurizers, CHARTERS, and
milking machines.
1t would doubtless be very surprising
if the truth were known regarding the
number of dairymen who give their milk
pals, strainers, cans, separators, etc.,
merely rinsing out at night and indeed,
some are not given thorough washing
more than once or twice per week. The
extra labor involv ed in giving them all a
thorough washing, after each use, is not
AZ great as is imagined, and considering
the fact that milk is one of the most
common foods for all people, but more
especially infants aud children, too
much stress cannot be placed upon the
Importance of their proper care at all
times. In many cases where disease has
been common among children il has
been traced to csrelessness in handling
the utensils, especially the bottle.
II has been proven that ropy or
striDgy milk can DO carried from one
place to another by milk utensils not be.
ing thoroughly cleaned and sterilized
and in this case the only remedy 10 a
more thorough and careful cleaning.
Milk may become infected with unde-
sirable bacteria through the air or
through the water supply. In the latter
case, it is often the custom to cool milk
by placing the cans in large watts of wa
ter, and when the water is infected with
bacteria, many cling to the side OF the
can, and get into the wash water, when
the cans are washed, and are transferred
10 the inside of the cans in this manner.
A thorough sterilization with steam
or rinsing with boiling water will de-
stroy these bacteria, but when careless
methods of cleaning the utensils are
practiced, the bacteria are not killed,
but are allowed to infect the milk.
All milk utensils should be made from
some smooth-surfaced material, without
seams, and ali vessels should be discard
ed if the coating is worn of as IL is i'm
possible TO keep them clean. All uten-
sils should first be rinsed with cold wa
ter, and then thoroughly washed with
hot water, containing soap or some
washing or cleansing powder. They
should then be rinsed with boiling hot
water aud placed where they can dry.
1t is very desirable that all utensils
should be sterilized, but of course this. is
impossible, under usual farm conditions.
However, sunlight is great factor In
cleaning dairy utensils, for although It
is not as efficient as sterilization, 1t will
reduce the bacterial count.
Great care should be given to separat-
ors, CHARTERS, and milking machines.
SeparatOrs are extremely difficult to
keep thoroughly clean, and it is quite
common occurrence to see them neglect
ed. Each separator should be taken
apart, rinsed, washed in hot water con-
tanning washing powder, and rinsed in
boiling water, (steriized if possible) af-
ter each separation and should not be
put together again until just before us
ing for the next separation. The pur-
pose of the milk clarifier is to remove
dirt and foreign matter from them;
Hence, in this case, it is apparent that
care should be taken to have them as
clean as possible, before being used.
The same method of care should be
followed here as in the case of separat-
ors.
The milking machine is destined to
take an important part in the production
of sanitary milk, but one of the most
important factors is the care of the tubes
when not in use. In many cases, it is
the practice TO simply rinse the tubes
with cold water and allow them to hang
up in the barn between milkings. Cold
water has no effect upon bacteria, in the
way of destroying them, and the tubes
will become filled with bacteria, when
allowed to hang in the barn during the
day, and these bacteria pass on into the
milk of the next milking.
There are several compounds or mix
lures in which these tubes can be placed,
but perhaps the most satisfactory way is
to rinse the tubes and then place them
in lime water in a room away from the
barn, where the air is pure.
The Importance of proper care Of dairy
utensils is partly shown in the number
of experiments in regard to proper care
Of milking machines and in the fact that
many large creameries are washing and
sterilizing all their utensils used by their
patrons, delivering clean ones and col
lecting the dirty ones each day, when
The milk is collected. The proper care
of dairy utensils may show the differ
ence between dsiryman and q keeper
of cows.