TO IMPROVE THE INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1482, 3 July 1912, Page 10

TO IMPROVE THE INDUSTRY.

SUGGESTIONS Fl?OM FACTORY MANAvTTIxB.

THE-MOST PRESSING 'NEEDS.

Some time ago we circularised tho managers of the leading dairy factories in the .North Island, _ asking if, in view of the imporlnnt part the industry was playing in tho life of New Zealand to-day thev could give any practical hints to those engaged in. the industry, and also what in their opinion are tho three most pressing needs of the industry at tho present time. Ihe response was not as satisfactory in the way of suggestions as could have been hoped tor, but at tho saiue time a number of managers forwarded their ideas, and from them w© take tho following as beftig of general interest.

One correspondent-, sets out the three most pressing needs of t.lio industry as under 1> Better inspection of dairies, combined with more care of the milk by the dairy farmer. 2. More attention to the welfare of dairy cows through the winter mouths. 3. More artificial feeding of milch cojvs for tho first few months niter calving. The general idea of the averse dairy tarnier, says the above correspomient, is that 60 long as he gets a drop of milk to tho factory or creamery, and receive* liis cheque at tho end of the month everything IS all right; but it is not all right, and it tho needs mentioned above were in force and practised it would bring about a better quality ot milk, making a much better quality of cheese or butter By paying more attention to the cows duri'ii" tlifl winier, the cows would come in at the beginning of tho season in good condition, and ready to do their duty to tho farmer bj filling tho milk bucket, and by also calving a good healthy calf. The farmer's next cine after getting bis cows in in good condition should be to keep them eo that they will not put rfn condition, but give a paying quantity of milk. It behoves tho farmer to have some good hard feed for his stock at least until the meadow grasses have lost their young growth ami have lianlciKv.l up. Another manager, "Program," strewn tho three tallowing paints:— To , lf r, l ra<:ll individual cow, and cull out the weeds. To rear calves . Jrom (lie best cows, ami not trust to the saleyards lor cows, this being the dumping ground for wasters. 2. lo lake more care of the evening's milk by tooling. To stand 1 tho cans in a trough of water, instead of putting the water m with tho milk, which dissolves the casein and results in a lcf.s t<) the supplier insloiul of u gain. •I. Jo cultivate the land more and grow siillieient food t„ ninintniii (he cows in good condition at home, instead of putting them out: to starve through the winter lly doing this the cow will fill the bucket from the stal l whereas if she comes in i„ l o , v LOiKlinoii she lia.- io supply her own needs b?torp returning much to th<> farmer and it is generally neur the eml of November betcro .she has sufficiently recarared to yield Jia juassu: auaatifc

J-armer* in tho district of the writer arc stated to bo waking un to the nece«ity oi growing winter i'eed lor their .stock. Another step which is being taken in the right direction is the planting of shelter trees. \ ogrnnt' suggests the following outstanding ne?d^:— 1. l.niver>al herd-testinc. 2. Hotter feeding of both young stock and dairy cows. 8. An experimental station for the investigation of detects in niannf.icturo, and dispo-al of by-prodnets, etc. The correspondent adds a note :,s follows: I would also like to suggest another point in the above connection which would pay for » little attention. This is testing ereani l>v weight. As yon are no doubt aware, il is the practice 'in sune factories receiving home-separated ream, to measure the sample by pipette. As it is impossible to do justice lo the supplier by measuring, is it. not time it was made compulsory to weigh all cream samples for testini,'!-" Another manager sets out the following as the three most pressing needs 'of the industry:— 1. An expert in dairy chemistry stationed at each grading port, to analyse and report on every shipment of butter and cheese from each factory, to ensure a uniform moisture content. 2. Cleaner milk supply. 3. Farmers to grow winter feed, so that factories may work all the yearround. "I have," adds this manager, "placed the need of dairy chemists first, as to my mind this is' where many thousands of pounds per annum are lost, especially in cheese. The only way cheese-makers can guess at the moisture content of their oliee-e is by sense of touch. If samples from each shipment were analysed he would know exactly what moisture ho was leaving in his cheese."

The general run of answers from ruanagers is that universal herd-testing and winter feeding are the outstanding reeds of to-day. A WINNER OF COMPETITIONS. Tho Egg-laying Competitions for 1910-lt and 1911-12 were both won by pens reared oh "A. and IV Chick Raiser. The first essential for profitable poultry keeping. Obtainable from all Storekeepers.*