94 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Fes., 1902. 
Very Incportant Causes. 
Cream. 
We now arrive at a stage that should command the attention and thought 
of all cream suppliers, and that is the age and mixing of cream and conveyance 
of same to factories. It is here where we attribute the heaviest losses, and it 
is to be regretted that many lose sight of the agencies that are working inju- 
riously against the butter ratio of farmers’ cream. Let the remaining portion 
of this paper be studied until a clear understanding is made of each factor 
explained, and when this is done the veil will be removed from the eyes of 
a few suppliers who have been labouring under a misconception of the truth 
surrounding the ‘“‘mystery’’ of the variability in the butter return of cream. 
will refrain from entering into the charges that have been made against butter 
manufacturers, and ] sympathise with the farmers and manufacturers alike, 
on the ground that there are circumstances and conditions which are unfayour- 
able to both parties concerned. 
Age of Cream. 
The ripeness or degree of acid is a responsible factor in the butter ratio of 
cream. If the percentage or quantity of acid that has developed is high, churn- 
ing will be irregular, and the chances of losses greater compared with cream 
that contains an average proportion of acid. Proof of this will be found in the 
table to follow, which illustrates thirteen successive tests that were made at | 
one of our factories :— 
Percentage of Acid Percentage of Fat Temperature of Cream 
in Cream and Churning. in Buttermilk. at Churning. 
(0:89 Fs: O-4 ak 56 degrees Fahr. 
| 0-80 xo 0-4 oe 57 ” Ty 
: 0°88 ee 06 x if) gg or) 
High ...4 9.99 mi 06 a Beat aye 
| 0°84 oe 0-5 eee 57. ” ” 
0:84 oS 06 a, By * 
0°63 30 0°3 eee 55 ” ” 
(0°56 a v2 cH Soames 7 
| 0°57 43 0:2 ees 56 ” ” 
Average < 0°57 ee 0-2 con 56 CC, » 
| (O55) om 0:2 se 56 ” ” 
(0-55 oes 0:2 on 56 ” ” 
0°65 03 45 
eee wee ” ” 
From these figures it will be gathered that the losses in fat are greater when 
the acid has exceeded 0°57 per cent., and this again is undoubtedly increased 
when the temperature of the cream at churning is high. In other experiments 
it was found that.cream with 0°85 per cent. and 0:90 per cent. of acid did not 
lose much of its fat when the churning temperature was kept as low as 55 deg. 
Fahr. The above result, however, does not treat suppliers’ quantities of cream, 
otherwise the fat losses would have been greater, caused by want of uniformity 
in ripening and increased age, which are conditions not usually found in the 
factory-treated product. It must be accepted by farmers that age seriously 
affects the butter returns of cream, and what must the losses be in some 
instances where cans of cream are sent many miles by road and rail and 
exposed to scorching hot weather. The bacteriological and chemical changes 
that are produced, and which need not be explained here, work disaster in the 
composition of the cream, insomuch that refrigeration is unable to save a great 
part of the fat from passing away in the butter-milk. 
Mixed Cream and Butter-making 
Sweet and acid samples that have been mixed together shortly before 
churning will also lower the butter ratio, as the ripe cream will yield its 
globules of fat to be changed into butter sooner than the sweet cream, Just 
take an instance of sweet cream churning which is given in the report of the 
