GRADING OF CREAM AND MILK

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 July 1924, Page 7

GRADING OF CREAM AND MILK

INSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION WORK, Subjects which are very important to the industry, and upon which depend largely the question of quality in the marketed output of the/dairy' farmers, were discussed in the paper read by Mr. C. Valentine, Government grader for North Auckland, at the N.D.A. annual, meeting in Auckland. After touching on the early stages of the industry before the institution of grading and inspection; he sketched briefly how the conviction gradually spread as to the value of the setting up and increasing of grading to all produce to be exported. Some years ago it was decided to make the system cover all dairy produce and to pay extra- on the superfine article produced. These were influences, he said, which undoubtedly had gone a long way in effecting a general improvement in quality.. Objections naturally were expected, and they had been raised in many quarters. He said that difficulty was created for them by home separation in keeping up the standard of quality, but, he added, he was. convinced that grading was commercially sound and must be carefully maintained if they were to get the very best quality. He said that every supplier had a goodwill in the concern of which he was a member, and that anyone who did not supply first-class milk and cream spoilt the output of the whole. If actually, he added .there was no second-class cream, grading would not be required. The question applied to cheese as to butter, and he stressed that if all suppliers were good, no expensive outfit would be required. Complaints had been made of the increasing use of soda in the’ factory, and he said this was due, in his opinion, partly because of home separation, but chiefly because of the second-class cream supplied; He was certain that if cream was all of the best quality there would be no complaint on that score. Another practice to which he referred was that of using increasing amounts of water, and this, he said, increased the cost of manufacture and led to a loss in butterfat. He added that no factory was perfect, but that he was convinced of the value of the principle of grading, which had already been justified and was necessary because of the fact that some compulsion was essential to keep up the quality of the average supplier's output.

The argument had been hsed that it was necessary to make some second grade butter, but it was a mistake to concede this. - He knew in some cases there was trouble and delay, in getting cream or milk to main factories, but this had to be avoided or overcome as far as possible, because as an industry they must strive to go forward all the time. It was the average man actually who made the name for the product and really decided the price to be secured. In connection with this question of difficulties, on. •transit; he said that in Marlborough,' where there were many to overcome, they turned out one of the best, which commanded a. very high price. i Quality must be maintained if the reputation made was to be held. He said it was gratifying to know that the majority of factories were doing very well, and that on!y"a small percentage of the output was second grade, but he added that they hardly could realise the possibilities if faulty methods were altered and the system improved, and he "was convinced that if the effort were generally made, all could turn out the best butter and cheese.

He referred also to the argument used that the difference in pay out as between first and second grade was not sufficient, and noted that this was held by many good and many leading men. Another point made* by certain suppliers was that the graders had a bias against them, and that justice was not always given, but lie maintained that a- man epperieneed in the work of grading could grade all day and give justice to all. Actually the grader, if he came across a bad lot, would be inclined to give the next, if a. good lot, rather more care than otherwise.

Distance from a factory was said to be a handicap, out he was certain that more cream ' was brought bad to the factory than would go bad because of the distance travelled. It was, he added, quite an unsound argument, because much of the best came long distances. Good cream, he said, took a lot of spoiling, and it was not so harmed if treated right. He knew of eases where fifty miles was travelled by rail, and there was no deterioration. It was also urged that with big herds the results could not be obtained that were the case with email herds, but, he argued, the same might be said of large factories, and this was not proved to be the case.

Dealing with the question of flavours, he stated that feed flavours would be in the milk at the time of milking, say, from strong grasses or from turnips, bub these could be minimised, if not eliminated, by care and trouble, and there was also the garlic flavour in the North. But he said he knew of cases where cows were put on garlic paddocks and where there was no complaint because care and common-sense wore evercised. Animal flavours were often present because of cows being in ill-health. He urged that the onus was on the supplier to send good milk or cream, and that the grader was not concerned with the causes of bad dairyproducts. The supplier must be reminded time and again, in season and out of season, that 90 per cent, of the defect in produce was caused by dirt, and that the dirty supplier was causing more trouble than anything else. The dirty farm was responsible for more of the difficulties in keeping up quality than anything else. r; Another question touched upon was the surroundings of the dairy shed. The atmosphere largely determined the quality of the-milk, and if that round the shed was bad; all the milk was liable to contamination, because the air was "drawn, in and went through the machine.

Some rather amusing remarks were made by Mr. Valentine in reference to suppliers’ reasons for what they affirmed were faults in grading. One case was cited of a big supplier who sent milk to two factories, and growled because he found that different points at eac-h for grading were given, and he was inclined to blame the factory. In concluding his remarks on grading, he •said that one of the strongest claimsfor grading was that it hit up the directors to make improvements in every way possible.

Mr. Valentine then turned to the question of farm, instruction, and said the very first lesson to be taught was in cleanliness. He said that inspection was not much good to some farmers who would not “toe the mark” unless compelled, but he believed there was more in instruction than in inspection. To-day, in his opinion, home separation made the instructor essential, and it was not a manager’s job, for his place was in the factory. ‘ It seemed there must be someone to help suppliers in their difficulties, and they appeared to look to the instructor. But, he

added, the instructor without grading was not effective. His experience led him to the conclusion that most suppliers would improve if they knew the way. He found that the instructor had to help the suppflbr from the start. In handling the machine, he urged that the great remedy for trouble was boiling water, and it would give the best returns for the time spent. He had begun with advising the use of boiling water and, he added, it had been a “battle of boiling water” ever since. It was not necessary to go to a farm to get evidence of a dirty shed—that was known on the factory platform. The manager knew the istate of the shed from the condition of the cream. If there was co-operation between grading and instruction, a great improvement would be seen. He was not keen on putting too high a penalty on those who did not secure first gradeunless it could always be arranged to- have an instructor always available! The material benefits to be secured from instruction were many, and advice was always.forthcoming if required. Often the instructor was asked to show how to run and elean the plant, and in some cases, apparently, the supplier waited till his next visit before cleaning once more. Some seemed to think-that if they had cleaned the machine once, they did not need to repeat the operation. It was and experiences such as those related whieli showed the urgent necessity of grading of cream and instruction on farms. A 1 series of graphs- were, then displayed by Mr. Valentine showing, inter alia, that the average grade figures had improved from. 90.77 to 92.08 between 1914 and the present day. He added that there had been a great general improvement, and though there was a slight decrease of .5 per cent, in quality, there was only 4.76 of second grade for the year. , There was in 1924 5.92 per cent, below 90 points and 2;75 per cent, of second grade butter. ,Tlie result s of grading and inspection had been to raise the average quality very materially until the amount of choice quality was now very much higher than ever before.