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 by-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 44 
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 skim 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 powdered 
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 marketing should be considered. 
