The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-06-01
CARE OF CREAM DURING
cIIMM = q

Because of the general butter mar
ket conditions, quality Is more lmpor-
tant than ever before. Whether the
butter is made on the farm or at the
creamery, it's quality depends largely
upon the manner in which the cream
and milk are handled. The system of
grading cream at large number OF
the creameries and making differ
ence in the price of sweet and sour
cream emphasizes the Importance Of
giving the raw product the best pos
sible care.
The two important factors in pro-
ducing good cream are low temper
ature and cleanliness. If these two
essentials are properly employed
there is very little trouble in getting
the best price for the dairy products.
When the milk comes from the cow
it is absolutely pure. but the con-
tan1ination starts from the time it
leaves the teat until placed in the vat
at the creamery. II the COWS are on
pasture, there is less liability of dirt
entering the milk during the summer
than during the winter. However,
care should be taken in brushing off
the dirt and dust from the udder, and
the mixers hands should be clean.
The milk should be run through the
cream separator as soon as possible
after it has been drawn. 1t should be
removed from the barn and taken d.
rectly to the cream separator and
skinned.
When the milk is drawn It has a
temperatu re Of 90 degrees fahrenheit,
which is Just right for the develop
ment of bacteria. If it is allowed to
tn hor fhn hooforio
will develop rapidly and thus make
it much more difficult to produce
sweet cream. The cream should be
taken from the separator and cooled
at once This can be most easily
done by placing the cans in a small
| tank of water. The average we'll wat
er has a temperature of about so de-
grees. This, when pumped directly
! into the small tank which has an out
! let into large stock tank, offers the
most practical means Of cooling the
cream on the average farm. The tank
may be constructed Of either wood,
steel or cement.
Shotgun cans offer the best means
of cooling cream because OF their
small diameter and the amount of sur
face exposed to the water in compari-
| son with the amount of cream con-
! tanned. The cream will cool much
quicker if it is stirred at intervals of
one-half hour after 1t has been
! SKINNED.
The cream separator as well as the
milk utensils used should all be thor
oughly washed with brush. A brush
is much preferred to a rag because
of the bristles getting into the cracks
and crevices and cleaning the pals
and cans thoroughly. After washing,
the utensils should be scalded and
then placed in the air to dry. Cans
and pals should be inverted but
should not have the tops closely
against the table. Pegs fastened into
the wall are a very good means Of air
ing the milk cans.
One Of the most important features
in producing clean milk is the covered
pail with the top partly covered in
order to prevent the dirt which drops
from the COW entering the pail. These
pals are little more expensive than
the ordinary open pail and practical
use shows that they are very desir
able for the average farm.
Those who are producing the best
grade of cream have constructed
small milk houses. These are mex
pensive and are located near the
pump. The cooling tank, as we'll as
the cream separtor. are placed in
them. thus concentrating the work
and making it easier to properly care
for the cream.
Every farmer will be we'll repaid
for constructing a small tank and
handling his cream in a sanitary man
ner. The premium on sweet cream
will continue to increase and the
| price will more than repay for the
expense of the equipment and the
trouble of giving the products good
care.