352 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



ized. Where sufficient interest is manifested by the farmers a pure 

 bred dairy bull will be given to three or four neighbors for use in 

 their herd. At the expiration of several years the bulls in the dif- 

 ferent communities will be exchanged and in this way strong healthy 

 herds will be built. It is hoped that this means of actually develop- 

 ing the herd will result in a greater interest in dairying and the 

 increased production of milk and cream in Southern Iowa. 



A SIMPLE STEAM STERILIZER FOR FARM DAIRY UTENSILS 



The information which follows relative to the manufacture and 

 operation of a simple steam sterilizer for farm and dairy utensils is 

 of sufficient importance to our dairymen and creamerymen to 

 justify publication in this report. This material has been printed 

 in a limited edition by the Bureau of Animal Industry, IJ. S. Dept. 

 of Agriculture from whom the use of the cuts has been secured. 



Cleanliness of dairy utensils is highly essential for the produc- 

 tion of a high quality of dairy products, particularly milk and 

 cream. The ordinary process of washing dairy utensils is not suf- 

 ficient to assure freedom from infection and contamination, there- 

 fore sterilization is necessary. 



Dairy utensils on small farms are not often efficiently sterilized, 

 because steam is not available. The sterilizers now in use requiro a 

 small boiler, and the whole sterilizing outfit is often regared s& too 

 expensive for use, especially on farms where only a few cows are 

 milked. 



The object of this bulletin is to describe a simple and inexpensive 

 yet efficient steam sterilizer which can be provided at a cost of from 

 $5 to $10. It is believed that the sterilizer described here is cheap 

 enough to justify its use on any farm from which milk or cream is 

 &old. The additional keeping quality which the sterilization of uten- 

 sils will give milk and cream will probably pay for the cost of the 

 sterilizer in one season. 



Dirty dairy utensils, and even those which apparently are clean, 

 but which have not been sterilized, contain vast numbers of bacteria 

 which are added to milk or cream when it comes into contact with 

 them. These bacteria when introduced into milk begin to grow and 

 produce changes which spoil it. It is true that even when milk 

 is produced under clean conditions it will contain a few bacteria, 



