DAIRY HUSBANDRY 
55 
EXERCISE NO. 40 
Object: To become acquainted with a factory test for moisture in butter. 
Procedure: Millions of dollars are lost annually by the creamery in¬ 
dustry because of ununiform composition of butter. 
A. Warm the butter so that it becomes soft, but avoid oiling off. 
A temperature of 80°-100° F. will best accomplish this. Beat 
with a spatula until it has a uniform thick custard consistency. 
Weigh out exactly *10 grams into a clean dry aluminum dish 
which has been balanced on the right hand pan of a Torsion 
moisture test scale. When balancing the dish, the 1 and 2 
gram weights should be kept at rest at the extreme left end of 
their respective riders. 
B. Place the dish containing the 10 grams of butter in a Wisconsin 
high pressure oven or hold over an alcohol flame, or place in a 
Benkendorf oven until all foam has disappeared and the butter 
has a brown appearance. Remove the dish and allow to cool 
in a dry place. 
C. Place dish on right hand pan of scale and move the two and 
one gram weights to the right until the scale again balances. 
The per cent moisture is read direct off the riders. 
D. Save the sample for Exercise 40 or 41. 
Note: By using dishes of approximately equal weight and 
the small tare weight, a number of samples may be weighed out 
in succession on the same scale. 
Observations: 
Sample 
Weight 
% Moisture 
1 
2 
Conclusion: 
Questions: (1) What is the legal standard for butter in this state? In 
the United States? 
(2) Give a brief description of each of the following methods of 
evaporating the moisture from butter: Patrick, Irish, Wiscon¬ 
sin high pressure oven, Benkendorf oven. 
(3) If a sample, while being prepared, is warmed to such an extent 
that it oils off, how should it be treated in order that a repre¬ 
sentative 10 grams of butter can be obtained? 
(4) Name several precautions that should be taken during the 
weighing and evaporating process. 
References: F. & W. If 272-277, inclusive; Van S. pp. 112-124. 
