482 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



condition, the quality of the cream ob- 

 tained is poorer than that secured in 

 creameries from whole milk delivered by 

 the farmer. 



The size and capacity of the separator 

 to be used in any individual case natu- 

 rally depends on the amount of milk to 

 be separated. For small farm dairies 

 a hand power machine is sufficient, while 

 with large dairies, or in creameries, a 

 larger machine, run by steam, gasoline 

 or electric power is required. 



Care of cream on the farm — Before 

 churning, cream must undergo a ripen- 

 ing process. This may be accomplished 



as the result of extensive observation 

 that natural ripening may or may not 

 lead to the production of good butter. 

 The quality and flavor of the cream de- 

 pend in such cases on the kind and num- 

 ber of bacteria present in it. In the 

 spring and early summer, the predomi- 

 nating bacteria in the milk are favorable 

 to the production of a good flavor in the 

 butter. Later in the season, however, 

 various gas-producing bacteria and other 

 micro-organisms may cause a highly dis- 

 agreeable flavor in the cream and butter. 

 Certain species of bacteria have been 

 found especially suited to developing a 



Fig. 309 — THE NEW WAY — A MODERN CHURN 



either by the natural or artificial 

 method. Natural cream ripening is the 

 term applied to the process of allowing 

 the cream to stand until it is soured 

 by the action of the bacteria ordinarily 

 present in the milk and cream. If the 

 cream is separated by any one of the 

 gravity systems it is nearly ripe at the 

 time when it is removed from the milk. 

 On the other hand, if the cream is re- 

 moved in a sweet condition by means of 

 a separator, it must be set aside to ripen 

 for a certain period, which depends 

 largely on the temperature at which it is 

 kept and the number of bacteria present 

 in it. 

 Natural ripening — It has been found 



desirable flavor in butter. Cultures of 

 these bacteria are known as starters and 

 are now used almost exclusively in the 

 manufacture of creamery butter. The 

 starter may be added to the cream with- 

 out previous treatment. In such cases 

 the starter is depended upon to predom- 

 inate over other bacteria which may 

 chance to be present and thus to control 

 the kind of fermentation in the cream. 

 Where cream is received from different 

 farmers and under varying conditions, 

 it is practically impossible to obtain a 

 uniform and desirable flavor in the but- 

 ter without pasteurizing the cream so as 

 to destroy the bacteria which are al- 

 ready present. After pasteurization, the 



