The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-11-19
BLUE VALLEY FARM SERVICE
By M. A. Nye
Why Cream Tests Vary


Why Cream Tests Vary
In view of all that has been said
and the volumes that have been writ
ten upon the subject, it is surprising
to note the number of complaints
caused by variation in cream tests
The responsibility for variation in
cream tests will nearly always have
its source right on the farm. There
are many farm causes for this varia-
ton. Perhaps the hired man is in a
hurry to get to town; he milks the
cows and then lets the milk stand
around until it gets cold. He then
separates this cold milk and natural
ly the cream test goes down, for sep
arating cold milk means loss of fat
in the SKINNED milk. Milk should
never be separated at a temperature
below 80 degrees. The speed of the
separator is anothr important factor,
for it may vary the test cream from
10 per cent to 20 per cent. Running
the milk into the separator beyond it's
capacity also causes a loss of fat in
the skinned milk. When SKINNED
milk or water is poured directly into
the bowl OF the separator to flush it,
more of it will run into the cream and
lower the test. 1t should be poured
into the supply tank and run into the
machine gradually. A dirty separator
will not skim clean, and causes val
liable butterfat to be lost. A separ-
ator that vibrates and is out of bal
ance is another factor. Changes of
feed and weather conditions have an
effect upon the test. Finally, there
is the very important influence
caused by fresh cows.
There are still some farmers who
believe, also that it pays to skim a
thin cream. AS matter of fact, thin
cream is source of loss, for it
means that transportation and man.
ufacturing costs are both increased
by the necessity of handling a large
volume of skinned milk which does
not go into butter. Sixty pounds of
20 per cent cream gives ~ pounds
of butterfat; 40 pounds of 80 per
cent cream also give IL pounds of
butterfat. Butterfat is what the
creamery pays for; that extra 20
pounds in the 20 per cent cream
means nothing to the creamery. The
butterfat test shows only the amount
of butterfat which the cream con-
aims, and it does not make any diff
ference whether that butterfat is in
thin or rich cream. The Dairy Re-
cord.
A Business Record
Keeping a farm account book is a
business asset to any farmer keeping
it. 1t is getting well on to the best
time of year to start keeping bus
mess record.
January is the best month to take
an inventory. That is the first step.
Then you keep record of all your
receipts and expenses throughout the
year, then make your closing inven-
tory, and figure out your years profit
or loss. The Blue Valley Farm Ser
vice is equipped to and will gladly
help any Sank Centre farmer in keep
ing business record of his farm. A
Farmers Account Book may be OBJ
tanned by ordering same from Stu
dents Book Store, University Farm,
st. Paul, Mimi, price soc each.
This book contains inventories and
cash records. 1t provides for la
Dor income statement, credit state
ment and an income tax summary.
Crop records can also be entered in
this book.
Old Disorders Killing Poultry;
No Mystery-What DIR. w. A. Bill
lings, extension veterinarian of the
University of Minnesota, pronounces
old diseases, which have been -ag-
gravated by the cold weather, over
crowding and lack of careful sani-
tation, have been killing hundreds
and hundreds of fowls in southwest
ern and other parts of Minnesota.
Losses among large feeding estab-
ishments have been especially heavy.
"Some poultry keepers attribute
these losses to new chicken plague
which they call Russian plague, Can
adian flu, etc." says DR.. Billings.
sit seems clear that the deaths have
been due chiefly to the pressure of
common colds which have developed
into virulent forms of roup, as evil
.denced by discharges from the eye
and nose. Fowl cholera, another
common disease, has been complicat-
ed with this in many instances.
"To control both roup and cholera
strict sanitation must be practiced.
All sick birds must be either destroy
ed or removed. The flock should be
carefully housed SO as to avoid over
+crowding; ventilation must be good.
1t is probable that the epidemic has
about run its course.
Students Suggest Two Thanksgiving