Milk is brought from the farm to the dairy for processing. When received at the dairy, the following information on the milk is required:
Before weighing the milk, its quality should be checked. Taste and smell are good preliminary indicators of milk quality, and visual observation can also be useful. If the person receiving the milk suspects that it is of poor quality, he or she can carry out one of the following tests: acidity, pH, alcohol and clot-on-boiling. These will determine the quality of the milk. Once the person receiving the milk is satisfied with its quality, it can be weighed and the weight recorded.
The quantity of milk received can be estimated either volumetrically or gravimetrically. Milk processors usually base payments for milk on its solids content, and hence it is more appropriate to use weight to estimate the quantity of milk being tendered.
In a small-scale processing centre a spring balance and a stainless-steel bucket can be used to weigh milk. The milk weight must be recorded accurately as losses can be incurred or underpayments made to suppliers if care is not taken at this stage.
A dairy engaged in butter-making will need to base its payments on the butterfat content of the milk. The milk received will have to be sampled for butterfat analysis. The procedure for this is dealt with below. Spot checks can also be carried out to test for added water and the presence of neutralisers if malpractice is suspected.
