BUTTER FAT PERCENTAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 123, 4 June 1901, Page 3

BUTTER FAT PERCENTAGES.

[Australasian. 1

A New Zealand dairyman writes, asking for information in connection with milk testing. I-Ic instances the fact that at the milking trial hold in connection with the recent Ballarat show a cow produced 971 b of milk, 3 per cent, of butter-fat, aud yet the quantity of milk obtained yielded more than 31b of butter-fat. “If the figures are correct,” he says, “ will you give an illustration of how thoy should be worked out ’?” In reply, I may say that the calculation is right, but the results are quoted incorrectly. The report should read :—Milk, 971 b ; butter-fat-, 3 per cent; butter (commercial), 3*171h. Tho basis upon which the results are worked is as follows :—Tho total butter-fat contents, less tho loss in skimming, churning, and manufacturing, plus the water, curd, and salt, equals tho commercial butter. As it is impracticable to use this formula, tho following table, issued by the department of Agriculture, shows a method of working out the results in a more comprehensive manner :

VALUE OF TESTS —BABCOCK TESTER. Lbs of milk required to make lib of butter Tests (per cent Correctly in Approximately In Buttcr-fat). Decimals. Fractions. 3-0 30-5 S 30: 3-1 29-58 29:-3-2 28-51 28:-0-3 27-02 27: - 3-4 26-73 26: 3-5 25-90 26 3-0 25-15 25 3-7 24-45 24-1 3-S 23-74 23:j 3- 23-12 23 4- -2-2-52 221 4T 21-94 22 4-2 21-35 21’ 4-3 20-81 20 : 4-4 20-29 20 4-5 19-S0 19: 4-6 19-34 19. 4-7 18-89 - 18: 4-S IS-4D 18:4- 18-00 18 5- 17-67 17 J

To computo the number of pounds weight of butter contained in milk, divide the pounds and decimals of a pound of milk agreeing with the test result into the total number of pounds of milk. Example : —looolb of milk tests 4-0 per cent, butter fat-. It will be seen above that it takes 22-521 b of milk .testing 4-0 to make lib of butter; therefore, 22-52)1000-00(44-4 9008 9920 9008 9120 9008 112 44-41 b of butter are computed to be contained in 10001 b of milk with a 4-0 test. Referring to the above, Mr R. Crowe, one of tho Victorian dairy expertsj'says : “It is remarkable that in nineteen out of every twenty butter factory reports the same misquotation may be noticed. No factory in the colony, to my knowledge, buys butter-fat —they all deal in butter. The quantity of butter is computed from the percentage of butter fat in the milk, but it is tho butter, and nqt the fat, that is jaid £«r," ’ mM- '/V- : i