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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => INGREDIENTS - Lactic Acid Starter Cultures => Topic started by: smilingcalico on December 08, 2011, 06:07:10 AM

Title: Seasonal adjustment of culture amounts?
Post by: smilingcalico on December 08, 2011, 06:07:10 AM
In conversation, someone suggested I might start considering upping my cultures with the change of the season.  I know of adjusting rennet, and do so as needed, but I've never heard of varying the culture amount for seasonal changes in the milk.  Does anyone do this, and why?  I don't see it being a factor.  Our make is based on temperature, not time.  Additionally, following my make notes, my temp method actually provides a steady timeline which hasn't varied with the change of season. I believe my acidification schedule is right on time.  This is in regards to gouda.  Is this good/bad advice, and why?
Title: Re: Seasonal adjustment of culture amounts?
Post by: linuxboy on December 08, 2011, 06:21:52 AM
Any justification or reason for the culture amount adjustment? Because when adding culture amount based on casein weight and not volume, the amount varies with the milk, and it does tend to be seasonal. Most people will add in a DCU per 100 liter size, so it's not as exact. Casein buffers acid, so to be truly consistent, the culture amount does need to vary for account for casein quantity.
Title: Re: Seasonal adjustment of culture amounts?
Post by: smilingcalico on December 09, 2011, 05:41:30 AM
There was no justification, it was more as an aside.  We had been discussing my recent makes which had been coming out more moist and creamy since I had adopted a technique that was more gentle on the curds.  We don't measure our casein content, so I'm guessing he had heard elsewhere about doing it and mentioned it. 
Title: Re: Seasonal adjustment of culture amounts?
Post by: linuxboy on December 09, 2011, 06:04:24 AM
My guess is it's as I mentioned above, that's the technical reason for doing it. Seasonal cultural changes and adjustments have been around in literature and academia for some 70 years, so it's a real phenomenon and best practice. But honestly, nowadays, with more regulated and consistent nutrition even when rotationally grazing, and with microbiological practices for starter, those old challenges aren't so critical any more. The curve tends to be decent even when not measuring exactly and adjusting for casein solids variances.
Title: Re: Seasonal adjustment of culture amounts?
Post by: smilingcalico on December 09, 2011, 07:31:02 PM
Thanks LB, I always appreciate the help.
Title: Re: Seasonal adjustment of culture amounts?
Post by: botanist on March 10, 2012, 05:57:10 PM
I've JUST started milk production testing as a newbie in dairy goats.  So my learning curve is steep, however, perhaps you would be interested in a bit of technical info.  From an attached study comparing milk components over a season in the Pacific Northwest vs Arizona:

The 2007 average component levels for the Pacific Northwest Order were 3.70%
butterfat, 3.09% true protein, and 5.71% other solids. The 2007 average butterfat
level for the Arizona Order was 3.59%.

In both orders, butterfat levels decrease during the summer months and increase in
the late fall and winter. In the Pacific Northwest Order, protein showed the same
seasonality as butterfat.

And from the attached for dairy goat milk -- see Table 1 for changes in milk components
Title: Re: Seasonal adjustment of culture amounts?
Post by: botanist on March 10, 2012, 06:57:34 PM
Just found another great article!  Title:  Predictive formulae for goat cheese yield based on milk composition