TESTING fluid milk samples ta the Central Testing Laboratory
at Utah State University are Dr. Niranjaa R. Ghandl seated and
Dr. Gary H. Richardson both of the USU Department of Nutrition
and Food Sciences. Logan
A Central Milk Testing Laboratory at Utah State University is beginning operations on a demonstration basis this week at Logan, established under auspices of USU Development Fund.
Representatives of dairies and milk processing companies from Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming are bringing milk samples to see
what the new $36,000 infrared milk analyzer (IRMA), just installed in the laboratory will do.
The IRMA equipment has been shipped to from England on loan by Reyrolle Co. Ltd. of Canada to develop the central laboratory. Dairy Research, Inc. (DRINC) has also granted USU $50,000 for a three-year study of the variability of milk constituents. The research and laboratory are under direction of Dr. Gary H. Richardson and Dr. Niranjan R. Gandhi, of Nutrition and Food Sciences, USU.
Dr. Richardson said that others are invited to bring products in for testing. With the IRMA and two other instruments, the laboratory will be equipped to test fluid milk samples for protein fat lactose solids-not-fat (and thereby determine total solids), casein, minerals, and somatic cells, which have become more of a concern to people interested in animal health.
The laboratory offers the advantages of a variety of tests done rapidly, at the same time eliminating many of the human error or judgment factors that reduce the reliability of standard testing methods which have been used for many years.
Representatives from the Dairy Herd Improvement Association will also meet at the the laboratory in the near future to investigate the potential for setting up a centralized procedure of milk testing for dairy herds throughout the state Dr. Richardson noted.