Am I doing something wrong??

Nite Hawk · Jun 22, 2013

As total milk volume falls, the butterfat remains the same so correspondingly the overall butterfat "increases". When cows are put on dry hay from either silage or green grass the moisture content of the feed drops and often so does production, so yes the butterfat goes up. Also depending on the different types of grains being fed it can effect butterfat content.
Personally I have never seen a government milk test result with 8% butterfat, but i have heard of high records dow the grapevine. I had a Jersey that peaked up in the high 5% close towards 6% on record, but that is the exeption nowdays as breeders push for volume production.
Something the farmer may possibly have been refering to was something called SNF ( solids non fat) plus butterfat. Cows have a component of their milk that isn't butterfat, but is considered "solids" in their milk. Right now I have forgotten what the average of that is, would have to re-fresh my memory in that area...
In a milk/ colostrum soap, which do you think is better, completely drop the water and add milk / colostum in place of water, or keep a small part water, and part milk/ colostum?
thanks-

dagmar88 · Jun 23, 2013

Whenever I make milk soap, I use it as 100% of the liquid. Freeze it, let it thaw till slush and then add the lye. This will keep it from overheating.

Nite Hawk · Jun 23, 2013

colostrum tends to be "lumpy" after it has been frozen and thawed . .When I tried to make colostrum soap, I mixed it with the oils and beat it well with a stick blender, but that still wouldn't take out the lumps, so I put it through the tea strainer, which got rid of almost all of the lumps,probably 99.99% anyways. If one used colostrum as a liquid and put the lye straight into it, not sure it would work to try to put it throught the tea strainer, as it would be caustic and too thick --I am thinking.
The colostrum would have to be thawed first and strained, then mixed with the lye, instead of being used slushy.. but it might be "scalded" and not so nice?
A procedual "bump in the road" to use colostrum as the only liquid?
Any thoughts?

dagmar88 · Jun 23, 2013

Hmmm... I wonder why it would get lumpy. Can't think of anything but the fat content and being less homogeneous than pasteurized milk.
You could try letting it sit in the fridge over night, scoop off the cream, freeze the milk and add the cream afterwards, with the oils or at light trace.

Nite Hawk · Jun 23, 2013

This is colostrum which has a different consistency than milk or cream. Also, it is normally often very bright orange in colour, often depending on the age of the cow. Often the older the cow the brighter orange the colour.
I thiink the lumps are fat particles, and yes it is not homoginized which may be part of the issue.
The only way I can think to work with it as the only liquid instead of water is to thaw, strain and re-freeze...