260 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATICN. 



DIRECTIONS FOR TESTING MILK ON THE FARM 

 (By the Babcock Method) 



H. E. McNatt, Missouri Experiment Station. 



The milk of every cow varies in fat content from milking 

 to milking and from day to day. For this reason a mixed sample 

 covering several days is necessary to give a fair average of her 

 milk. The sample tested should be an average of at least six 

 milkings, and better even more. In taking the samples from the 

 individual cows, proceed as follows : Procure as many sample 

 jars (ordinary pint Mason fruit jars are good) as there are cows 

 being milked. Paste a label upon each jar, upon which is written 

 the name or number of the cow. Be sure the jars are provided 

 with the usual rubber rings to make them air tight. Drop fifteen 

 drops of formalin into each jar to preserve the milk. Formaliii 

 may be obtained from nearly any druggist. Put the jars with 

 lids screwed on tightly in a safe place convenient to where the 

 milk is strained. After a cow is milked, mix the milk in the pail 

 by stirring or pouring into another vessel. Take a sample out 

 with a small dipper made by soldering a piece of wire to 

 a brass shotgun shell. Be sure the dipper is full of milk. Pour 

 the contents of the dipper into the jar bearing the name of the 

 animal whose milk is being sampled. Screw the lid on tightly. 

 Do the same with each cow's milk. Repeat the process during 

 at least six consecutive milkings. 



Shake the jars gently each day so as to prevent the cream 

 from hardening and sticking to the sides of the jar. Do not, 

 however, shake hard enough to churn the milk. 



Testing. 



The apparatus necessary to make a test is as follows : A test- 

 ing machine or centrifuge; a milk pipette of 17.6 c. c. capacity; 

 milk bottles; an acid measure of 17.6 c. c. capacity; and a pair 



