CAEE OF MILK ON THE FARM 315 



ROUTINE OF HANDLING MILK 



Straining. — After the milk is drawn it should be taken at 

 once to the milk house to be strained and cooled. Straining is 

 best done through a layer of absorbent cotton between two 

 cloths, or through special '^filter cloth." 



Straining the milk takes out dirt and sediment but does not 

 remove the bacteria. There are many kinds of strainers in use 

 and these vary greatly in efficiency. The following are the most 

 common materials used for strainers, arranged in order of effi- 

 ciency : Absorbent cotton, cheesecloth, two thicknesses ; cheese- 

 cloth, one thickness, and wire gauze. Strainers made of wire 

 gauze are the least efficient. Strainers of all types should be 

 washed and sterilized after each using; otherwise the millions 

 of l)acteria which have collected on them will contaminate sub- 

 sequent milkings. 



At certain intervals the milk from each cow should be weighed 

 and tested to determine her production and profitability. 



Cooling. — AVhen milk has been strained it should be cooled as 

 soon as possible to a temperature of fifty degrees F. or lower. 

 By cooling the milk soon after it is produced, the development 

 of bacteria is checked, as bacteria multiply slowly at low 

 temperatures. 



Milk can be cooled more rapidly if it is first run over a cooler 

 or aerator. Such coolers allow a thin film of milk to pass over 

 a surface which is kept cold by means of cold water kept in 

 circulation, or Avith water and ice. This takes the heat out of 

 the milk and also some undesirable odors, provided the sur- 

 rounding air is pure. From the aerator the milk may be poured 

 into milk cans and set into tanks filled with cold water or ice. 

 Milk should be kept covered while cooling and in storage. The 

 cooling tanks are often made from concrete or of wood lined 

 with metal. 



Milk should be kept in ice water until started on its way to 

 the station or plant. 



Bottling. — Where there is not a sufficient quantity of milk 

 handled to warrant the use of a bottling machine, a funnel will 

 often serve the purpose of getting the milk into the bottle. The 

 milk tank on most centrifugal separators can also be used by 

 ]iouring the milk into the tank and using the faucet as a filling 

 device. Milk bottles should be washed and sterilized before 

 using, and the caps put on as soon as the bottles are filled. 

 Bottled milk can be kept cold by packing in crates holding from 

 six to a dozen bottles and filled with ice. 



