CLEAN MILK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 850, 23 June 1910, Page 4

CLEAN MILK.

' FROM COW TO CHEESE PRESS. .SOME TLAIN SPEAKING. The. following paper, prepared by tho Factory, Managers' Association, was read this afternoon:— A dairy farmer onco asked his hired man to keep everything clean, so that there, would bo jio germs to get into the milk. "Germs 1" said Pat, "I don't see any." "Neither do you see tho devil," said tho farmer, "but you knowvery well lio is round about." Milk drawn, from a cow under, tho best conditions, aind exposed to a pure atmosphere, , takes up tho germ which prc-d-uces lactic acid, or in other words a . "clean sour," wJiich is so essential jai tho manufacture- of cheese or butter,. Tho greater portion of tho milk thai, goes to tho factory to-day is so full of foreign micro-bo life that, if left to ripen by itself, would never attain that end, but would 'produce flavours that would-damage the . manufactured article.. Sources of Contamination. Tho longer a byre is used for milking the harder it is to produce good milk from it, unless- it is kept under the. most favourable conditions. If a maii could see with this. naked'eye tho 'ugly microbe life that surrounds somo of these old cow-bails that havo never been properly cleaned, or round an old leaky whey tank, he would gird up liis loins and run for his life. There aro many causes through which milk becomes contaminated. Milking with wet and dirty hands is one of the worst; then there are yards that have no proper drainage; cow-bails where ■milk gets on the floor and is never washed out; milk, stands that aro too close tn the cow-yard; or erected in positions where the prevailing windsblow from the 'yards to the milk stands; or stands that have'been too long in. one place, where..perhaps milk has' been, spilt and the plape allowed to become a home of germ life: milk cans and buckets that have not been washed clean and scalded and, kept in a clean place; milkers that robe themselves in dirty clothes at milking time instead of in the cleanest'; milk, carts ' that feldrmi. got washed, with their 'myriads of germs, thai go to the factory ovary monriiig for a drive _ with their owmar nnid bis milk; receiving ■ cans of ! milk sliutes that lrave not been' properly washed and scalded; leaky vats that have neglected .until the I place is filled with microbes. . ... '

"All Thesa Evils Have a Remedy."

All tlieso evils lihvo a remedy. In milking, the cow's udders, if dirty, should bo washed with clean water. If the teats and udders are not soiled, a wipe with a damp cloth will prove sufficient, and the cow should bo milked with dry hands. We believe that milking with wet and dirty hands is 6116 of the greatest curses that follows tho industry. Good drainago is essential to keep the byres sweet and clean. Most dairymen havo concrete floors in ■ their milk sheds, but how many wash them after the milking is over? There is always moro or less milk spilled on tho floor during milking, which, soon becomes an offence if not washed out. Plenty of lime sprinkled on tho floor and swept out after everything is absorbed is a good- substitute, but water is cheaper and better. Milk should bo removed to tho stand immediately each cow is milked, and cooled to a temperature of 65 degrees, Fahrenheit. Milkstands should be some distanco from the yards, and as there is very little Svind from the east, they should bo placed to the west of tho yards and sheds where possible. If tho stands Havo been in use for a number of years, or erected under tho shelter of trees, thoy' should bo shifted to open ground where thcro is plenty of pure fresh air. Milk carts should bo kept clean. A dirty cart and milk cans so filthy on the-outsido that the man on tho receiving stage cannot rtake dolivery of the milk without getting his hands and clothes soiled, is a true sign of bad milk. We always find that the cleanest cart brings tho best milk to tho factory. Procedure at the Factory. At the factory tho manager should seo that tho weigh-cans, milk-chutes,, vats, and everything used in .connection with the manufacture of milk into butter and clieesc is thoroughly sweet and clean. In receiving milk tho manager should bo just and firm, showing no partiality, and refuse,all milk that will not produce a first-class article. If milk is received at the factory in an over-ripo condition, sufficient starter cannot bo used to help the flavour, and if a vat works too fast a loss results, and the faster the vat works the greater the loss. By cooking a fast vat may bo raised 3 or 4 degrees •' higher than usual, then run most of tho whey off and add water, being careful, when the time comes, to draw all tho whey from tho curd. Then add sufficient cold water to cool the eurd to the ordinary temperature. A fairly good cook can bo obtained; but the chances are that tho flavour will, bo anything but good. Bad flavours, caused by germs getting into tho milk after it is taken from tho cow, cause our cheese to deteriorate, and in timo to decay. On' tho other hand, feed; flavours, mostly disappear as the cheese matures. With the majority of milk supliers tho feed flavours become the scapo goat for.anything that is not good.. A man - has boon known to milk his cows in a filthy way, in unclean surroundings, stir tho milk with a. dirty stick, then bring tho milk fo the factory, and, when,ho was.told thai tho flavour was above the required strength, ho said it must bo something tho cows had eaten. A Word to the Wise. Tho time has now arrived for thoso men who arc/now producing a firstclass article to say that they will no longer allow their milk to be "pooled" with that, of inferior quality, which will cause the careless and indifferent man either to depart from his "ancient habits" or-go out of the business. Most, of our dairy factories in New Zealand are equipped with machinery typical of the first-water, .-which greatly facilitates, the manufacture of cheese and butter, and. wero it'not for the lamentable fact of tho few moro .careloss, farmers contaminating tho well-' cared-for product, of the -progressiva; oiies, New Zealand's dairy produce .at tho present day -would bo Hearing the goal of perfection. The paper was briefly discussed, and the meeting heartily thanked tho Factory Managers'.,' Association for- tho interest taken in "the affairs of tho dairymen, as illustrated by the paper road.