460 MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS', DAIRY FARMS 



Why butter will not "come" 



One of the most common complaints is that the butter will not come. 

 This generally happens in the fall in herds where the cows freshen in the 

 spring or early winter. When fall comes, these cows have been milk- 

 ing a long time and are not giving much milk. The character of the 

 milk changes as the lactation period advances. The per cent of fat 

 and of solids-not-fat, increases. This makes the cream more viscous, 

 and more inclined to "whip," or to froth up and fill the churn. When 

 this happens, and the churn is full of frothy cream, about the only 

 thing to do is to add hot water to warm up the fat and to destroy the 

 viscosity of the cream. Such treatment will not make the best of but- 

 ter, but is better than churning all day and finally becoming so dis- 

 couraged that the whole churning is thrown out. 



This trouble may be avoided by using more starter, ripening at a 

 higher temperature, say 75 F. to 80 F., and churning at a higher tem- 

 perature, say 65 F. This again will not make the best of butter, but 

 will enable one to handle successfully that kind of cream. 



Sometimes the butter will not come because the cream is too thin. 

 The fat globules are not crowded closely enough together in the milk 

 serum to cause them to stick together when the cream is agitated. 

 Cream should contain over 20 per cent of fat in order to make it churn 

 easily, and 30 per cent is better. 



Sweet cream does not churn as easily as sour cream. Souring tends 

 to reduce viscosity and prevent whipping. 



Frequently the butter will not come because the cream is too cold. 

 The thermometer should be used, and if below 60 F. warm up by add- 

 ing hot water, or by taking out some of the cream and warming it and 

 then returning it to the main lot in the churn. Unless the cream is 

 already too thin, hot water, added carefully, will generally be found 

 satisfactory. Cream may become too cold from churning in a cold 

 room, especially if a metal or crockery churn is used. 



Too thick cream will sometimes stick to the sides of the churn and the 

 butter will not come from lack of concussion. Water or skim milk of the 

 proper temperature may be added to reduce the thickness of the cream. 



If the churn is too full, the proper amount of concussion is not pro- 

 duced and the butter fails to come. Take out part of the cream and 

 make two churnings. 



