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Categories: Live Stock and Dairy

What Is "Butter-fat?"







I would like to know what "butter-fat" means. I have asked farmers this

question and no one seems to know. I suppose all parties dealing with

creameries understand what the standard of measure or weight of

butter-fat is, but it is my guess that there are thousands of farmers

whom, if they were asked this question, would not know. We, of course,

know that b
tter is sold by the pound and cream by the pint, quart or

gallon, but what is butter-fat sold by?



Butter-fat is the yellow substance which forms the larger part of

butter. Besides, this fat butter is composed of 16 per cent or less of

water and small amounts of salt, and other substances of which milk is

composed. From 80 to 85 per cent or so of ordinary butter is the fat

itself. It is sold by weight. The cream from which butter is made is

taken to the creamery and weighed, not measured. A small sample is

tested by the so-called Babcock test to determine the exact percentage

of fat, and payment mode on this basis. For instance, if 1,00 pounds of

cream is one-third butter-fat, the dairyman receives pay for 33 1/3

pounds of this substance. If it is only one-quarter fat, he receives pay

for 25 pounds. Ordinary cream varies within these limits, but may be

much richer or thinner. Cream after the butterfat is removed is much

like skimmed milk, although it has less water in it.







Why Would Not Butter Come?







What is the trouble with cream that you churn on from Monday until

Saturday, then have to give up in despair and turn it out to the hogs?

We warmed it, and we cooled it, and used a dairy thermometer, but

nothing would do.



If the cream was in churnable condition otherwise, the probability is

that it was too cool when you started churning. It should be about 62°



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