MILK-PLANT OPERATION. 43 



what products can be manufactured most advantageously from the 

 milk that can not be disposed of at market milk prices. 



The following calculations illustrate how the returns may be figured 

 on various products that can be made from surplus milk. The values 

 here attached to the various products are arbitrary, and the actual 

 prices will depend, of course, to a great extent on the particular 

 locality. The following arbitrary values are used : 



Butter per pound . . $0. 50 



Buttermilk per gallon . . .20 



Cottage cheese per pound . . .05 



Sweet cream per gallon . . 1 . 50 



Value of hy -'products from 100 pounds of surplus milk, at assumed prices. 



Butter, cottage cheese, and buttermilk: 



The cream from 100 pounds of 4 per cent milk will make approximately 



4.75 pounds of butter, at 50 cents $2. 38 



And 1 gallon of buttermilk, at 20 cents 20 



The skim milk will produce approximately 9 pounds of cottage cheese, at 

 5 cents 45 



3.03 

 Sweet cream and cottage cheese: 



100 pounds of 4 per cent milk will make approximately 2.5 gallons of 20 per 



cent cream at $1.50 3. 75 



And approximately 8.75 pounds of cottage cheese, at 5 cents 4^1 



4.19 

 Butter and buttermilk : 



100 pounds of 4 per cent milk will make approximately 4.75 pounds of but- 

 ter, at 50 cents 2. 38 



And approximately 10 gallons of buttermilk, at 20 cents 2.00 



4. 38 

 Sweet cream and artificial buttermilk : 



100 pounds of 4 per cent milk will make approximately 2.5 gallons of 20 per 



cent cream, at $1.50 3. 75 



And approximately 9 gallons of artificial buttermilk, at 20 cents 1. 80 



5.55 



Thus with the prices given it would be more profitable for the 

 dealer to separate the surplus and sell the sweet cream and make 

 buttermilk from the skhn milk. As stated, however, these figures 

 are given merely for illustration; the cost of manufacture, market 

 demand, and the prices that can be procured for the products must 

 be considered in each case. Such illustrations will assist a dealer in 

 determining what prices he can afford to charge for certain products 

 as compared with prices of other products, as well as in determining 

 what products can be made most advantageously from his surplus 

 milk. 



The market for cottage cheese is limited and irregular. Usually 

 there is a good demand for good butter, and many plants are able to 

 make a considerable number of cash sales of butter and buttermilk at 

 the plant. Whether sweet cream can be disposed of readily depends 

 on the locality. Some dealers who have a large surplus manufacture 

 it into less perishable products, such as condensed and powdeied 

 milk, casein, etc., but, of course, this practice would not be prac- 

 ticable for a small plant. In the case of all products the relative 

 cost of manufacture and marketinjj should be considered. 



