10 BULLETIN 576, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
was used each month and the quantity of milk handled during the 
same period afford a basis for determining the charge for deprecia- 
tion per 1,000 pounds of skim milk. 
The following figures were used in obtaining the charge for 
" interest on investment: : 
Apparatus | Value 
| Pasteurizing vat______-_-- $750 
Cheddar:vati iss = S325 225 
eet 
The interest on $975 at 6 per cent amounts to $58.50 a Year. 
Twenty-six runs a month, handling 5,000 pounds each, gives 18.7 
cents a day, which makes an interest charge of 3.7 cents on 1,000 
pounds of skim milk. 
Estimated cost of manufacturing cottage cheese 
, Cost per 1,000 
Item | pounds milk 
Labor <2 eae ee $1. 106 
POW ero 226- 2 sae eas aE) 
Cooling water. ___.._--_-_- -1ll 
Depreciation reserve___-_-___| . 185 
Interest on investment----| . 037 
RO al acer ee eke 1. 704 
The cost of the above items is figured on the basis of 1,000 pounds 
of skim milk because of the greater variation which would be shown 
when figuring on the basis of pounds of cottage cheese, as the result 
of the variation in yield. 
On the basis of a yield of 17 pounds per 100 pounds of skim milk, 
the cost per pound of cheese would be $0.01002, almost exactly 1 
cent a pound, with no allowance for cost of package. These figures 
may be lowered with an increased volume of business; a decreased 
volume would raise them. When only a small quantity of cheese is 
made, the regular creamery force may be able to do the work without 
any additional help, which would be an item of importance in deter- 
mining the actual cost. 
BUTTERMILK AS MATERIAL FOR CHEESE 
Buttermilk has occasionally been substituted for part of the skim 
milk in manufacturing cottage cheese. Where buttermilk is em- 
ployed it should be utilized as soon as possible after coming from 
the churn, before any undesirable flavor develops. In general, the 
use of buttermilk as material for cottage cheese is not advised, un- 
less the buttermilk is made from fresh, sweet, Pasteurized cream; 
and then in quantities of less than 25 per cent of the total amount of 
skim milk. 
a) 
