The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1916-02-05
REASONS Why CREAM TESTS VARY.
Expert ExpIainsPrO position Which Of.
ten Puzzles Local Dairymen
Supplying Creameries.

IA number of creamery patrons
are ill at ease because their cream
test varies from time to time.
This discontentment is especially
noticeable among those who have
not been in the dairy business very
long.i The creameryman is usual
ly held responsible for this varia-
tion, however the real cause is u.s.
ually on the farm. Of course
there are errors made in testing,
ESPECIALLY in taking samples.
This difficulty in getting a correct
sample is increased by holding the
cre3m under poor conditions too
long on the farm. 1t is almost i'm
possible to get an accurate test
from cream when it has been al
lowed to stand without stirring
until heavy thick skum of cream
forms on top or when it has soured
and worked up.
The following are the more i'm
portant causes for variation in test
of fsand separator cream:
/. Speed of separator.
Q. Temperature of milk at time
Of separation.
s. Amount of skim milk or
water used in flushing out the
bowl.
4. Rate the milk flows into the
separator.
5. Change in richness of milk
separated.
6. Adjustment of cream screw.
Change in the speed of the
separator is the most important
cause of variation in the test of
cream. The machines are adjust
ed to run at a given rate of speed.
This speed is indicated on the
crank and should be run at that
speed. If turned at a lower speed
more of the skim milk will go with
the cream and give from 2 per cent
to II per cent or Is per cent lower
test than when run at correct
speed. This will be influenced by
the richness of the cream when run
at correct speed, as there will be a
greater variation in a rich than in
a light cream. 1t is almost impos-
sible to turn the crank at the same
speed from time to time even with
the most careful turner. This diff
Guilty is very much increased when
children or a negro do the turning.
d The temperature of the milk
is not as important factor as is
the speed of the separator. How
evef, the difference in temperature
may cause a variation in test of 2
per cent to 4 per cent. The cooler
Tia veam the richer the cream.
The milk should not be below 90
when separated.
8. AS either skim milk or
warm water is always used to flush
the bowl when through separating,
the amount of this milk or water
allowed to run into the cream can
we'll vary and therefore cause va
ration in test of the cream.
A. The float is supposed to reg
ulate the flow into the separator
but sometimes we may fail to open
the faucet full or at one time we
may keep the supply can well fill
ed, giving a greater pressure, dur
ing a greater portion of the time of
separating than at another. The
faster the milk flows through, the
lower the cream test.
5. This would have little inf1u-
ence on the farm where the same
cows are milked clean by the same
mixer. However, at. seasons
when the average test of the herd
was low or high the cream would
vary accordingly.
6. The changing of the cream
screw will readily change the
cream test. However, this screw
should rarely be changed, there
fore it is not a common cause for
variation from day to day.
L. A. Higgins,