The Uebergang family came from Silesia to Australia in 1848 and were early settlers in the Allansford area. The sons and other descendants also purchased farms in the area. The Percy Uebergang family lived at Tooram Park, Allansford from 1912 until 1992. Percy and Myrtle Uebergang's children were twins, Ray and Joyce born in 1926 who lived at Tooram Park until their deaths, Ray in 1986 and Joyce in 1992 after which the property was sold. Neither Ray nor Joyce married and following the death of her brother Joyce set up the Ray and Joyce Uebergang Foundation which supports the local community. The collection of items from their property was put into store for a number of years before being given into the care of the Cheese World Museum. The family often re-used, recycled and repaired items and examples can be seen in the museum. This Babcock tester is part of the collection of items given into the care of the Cheese World Museum. The Babcock tester was used to determine the butter fat content in milk. Prior to the use of the Babcock test farmers were paid on volume and milk was sometimes watered down to increase the supply to the factory. Once the Babcock test was introduced it provided a consistent means of paying farmers for milk supplied to the factory. The Babcock tester is significant as a scientific means of testing fat content of milk and the subsequent consistent payment mechanism to farmers. This test also provided a means for farmers to identify poor performing cows and upgrade the quality of their herd and subsequent milk supply to the factory.Four tipping metal testing tubes which revolve on a brass base. A winding handle has a wooden grip. The base and arms holding the metal tubes is painted red.OFFICIAL BABCOCK TESTERallansford, dairy farming, dairy industry, dairy processors, babcock test

Centrifuge, used to measure fat content in milk (see attachment), metal with metal cylindrical containers which adopt a horizontal position as you turn the handle. Cylinder hinged to four sets of twin spokes. Worm wheeled shaft attached to geared handle, pinned to base at 3 points. Thumbscrew at back to attach to a shelf or table. Embossed "OFFICIAL BABCOCK TESTER", "Made in USA" and "467x".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

This Babcock tester was used in the laboratory at the Kraft cheese factory, Allansford. When it was superseded it was passed to one of the users of the machine, Les O'Callaghan, president of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society who placed it in the historical society collection. In 2009 when the historical society premises were upgraded there was insufficient room to store the tester so it was donated to Cheese World Museum. The machine was used to test the butterfat content of milk. Prior to dairy factories coming into existence farmers made butter individually on farms. There was no need for milk testing until farmers supplied factories for payment. Payment was based on a gallon of milk weighing 10lbs (pounds) and this led to richer milk, containing a high degree of butterfat for use in buttermaking, being paid at the same rate as lesser quality milk. In 1890 Stephen Moulton Babcock, an American professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, developed a method of determining the amount of butterfat in milk, thus providing a standardised and fairer system for payment. Babcock Test Process 1. 18 grams of milk (17.6ml) was put into a test tube 2. The same amount of sulphuric acid was added 3. A centrifuge at 50ºC was rotated at more than 900 revs per minute 4. The fat floating on top of the liquid in the test tube was measured The Babcock Test provided fairer compensation to farmers and also helped produce a consistent product for consumers. It also allowed for selective breeding when dairy herd testing evolved. ‘The Babcock Test is so simple that it can be used by any careful person, and it is inexpensive to operate. From the very beginning it was so complete in every detail that no change has had to be made in it.’ (Babcock Test http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wki/Babcock_test 31 March 2009) Round green metal container with opening lid. Inside houses a spinning rotor with 20 test tube holders around the outside in two circular rows.7173 BABCOCKTESTER 190allansford, dairy manufacturing, milk testing, babcock test, babcock, stephen moulton, butter, warrnambool cheese and butter factory company