BUTTER-MAKING 253 



internal structure of the churn is also an important factor. 

 In some cases, the churn consists simply of a hollow drum, 

 while in others flange boards are placed in such a way as to 

 assist in raising the cream at the side and allowing it to fall into 

 the main body of the cream at the bottom of the churn. 

 The quality of the fat globules. 



The ease with which cream may be churned is affected by 

 both the size and the quality of the fat globules. As has already 

 been stated (Chapter IV), the character of the fat globules is 

 influenced by the breed and individuality of the cows, the period 

 of lactation, and the nature of their feed. Conditions which 

 result in large-sized fat globules and an increased proportion 

 of soft fats assist in the churning process, while the presence 

 of large numbers of small fat globules, and an increase in the 

 hard fats, make the churning more difficult. 



It will be seen from the above that the churnability is in- 

 fluenced by many factors, and the expert butter-maker must 

 bear in mind all of these factors in determining the treatment 

 which his cream shall receive. While all of the above factors 

 influence the ease in churning, the most important ones are 

 the percentage of fat in cream, temperature, the fullness of the 

 churn, and the speed at which it is revolved. If these factors 

 can be properly controlled, there should be little difficulty in 

 churning normal cream. These factors should be so controlled 

 that the churning process will take place in twenty-five to thirty 

 minutes, giving firm granules of the desired size. 

 When to stop the churn. 



It is important that the churning process should be stopped 

 at the right point. The two things to be especially controlled 

 are the completeness of the churning and the removal of the 

 buttermilk. It is customary to stop the churn when the butter 

 granules appear in the buttermilk, and are somewhat larger 

 than kernels of wheat and about the size of small peas, all the 

 butter-fat in the cream having been collected in these small 



