CHAPTER II 



MILK TESTING 



13. Importance of Milk Testing. — A knowledge 

 of the fat content of milk is essential in order to 

 determine (1) any unnecessary waste in the manu- 

 facture of butter and cheese, (2) the value of indi- 

 vidual cows, (3) the (^ost of producing milk, (4) the 

 value of different fodders and grains for milk-pro- 

 ducing purposes, and (5) the commercial value of 

 milk. 



A number of simple methods have been proposed 

 for testing milk ; some of them require a more 

 extended knowledge of chemical operations than 

 others. The method which is in most general use 

 on account of its accuracy, simplicit)^ and cheapness 

 is the Babcock centrifugal metliod. 



14. Reliability of the Babcock Test. — This method 

 has been tested by many chemists, and in all cases 

 it has been found to give reliable results. There is 

 a tendency, however, to read the fat percentages too 

 low. This will be considered more in detail in dis- 

 cussing that part of the operation. In the case of 

 skim milk and buttermilk, when the fat is present 

 to the extent of only two tenths of a per cent or less, 

 the method may not give absolute results. This 



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