Observations On The Dairy

A dairy of cows, when well selected and managed, is no doubt a source of profitable employment where there is plenty of provision and accommodation for such stock: particular attention, however, to everything relating to their food, shelter, treatment, and the management of their produce in the dairy, is necessary to ensure success. The master's eye wants to be often looking on, to see that all persons employed are kindly disposed, and conduct their work in a regular, cleanly, and orderly manner. Unkind treatment, improper or irregular feeding, or unskilful milking of cows, would either of them be detrimental to the success of the undertaking.

Situation, And How Built

A building for a dairy should be situated in a shady place, out of the reach of impure air, and have a northern or eastern aspect. If built with bricks and covered with tiles, the walls should be not less than nine inches thick, if fourteen inches it would be better; the roof should be ceiled, and the windows latticed, glazed, and provided with sliding inside shutters for keeping out excessive heat or cold, otherwise the proper temperature of the dairy cannot be regulated in summer or winter.

Supposing a dairy to be built for a dozen cows, it would be necessary to divide it into three rooms, two below and one above - viz., the milk-room or dairy, the wash-house, and the cheese chamber. The dairy for milk alone; the other lower room for butter and cheesemaking, and for washing and scalding the dairy utensils; the upper chamber for cheeses.

Ventilation

It would be as well to have two or three air-bricks inserted in the northern wall of the milk-room some distance apart, about a foot from the ground, and the same number in the opposite side wall, about a foot from the ceiling. If the north side air-bricks were left open during the summer months, it would be found that a current of cool air would come in and lessen the temperature, as the warm air would ascend and pass through the upper air-bricks. In the winter all the air-bricks should be closed, as quite sufficient ventilation could be obtained from the windows.

Size

The size of the milk-room should not be less than fifteen feet square, and the other room quite as large, with chimney and copper placed at a distance from the dairy or milk-room; and it would be best if entered by a passage, and if the door were placed so that it did not open into the milk-room, as the heat and steam should be entirely excluded. The floor of both rooms should be paved with bricks or flags, with a slight incline towards the drain, which might either run down the centre, or be placed at one side. The water must either be laid on or the wash-house provided with a pump.

Shelving

Wide shelves about thirty inches from the floor would be required to hold full double the number of milk-pans that there are cows besides shelves for cream-pots, pans, and other articles belonging to the dairy.

Utensils

The utensils required where butter and cheese are made are a churn, a butter-stand, milk pans, pails, bowls, strainers, coolers, dishes, cheese-tubs, vats, girth butter-boards, markers, brushes, cloths, presses, thermometer and weighing machine, and sundry pots and pans, the cost of which would be about 20/.

Cleanliness

A scrupulous attention to cleanliness is absolutely necessary. All the pots and pans, and indeed everything that comes into contact with milk, butter, cream, or cheese, must first be well washed, scrubbed, and rinsed with cold water, and scalded before using a second time; for unless the strictest cleanliness be practised, the produce of the dairy cannot be good.