DAIRYING RESEARCH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 36 (Supplement)

DAIRYING RESEARCH

N.Z. Institute Is Helping The Producer Thte development of the processes of dairying from the stage •f a labour to that of a science has been recognised in many parts ©f the world for many years, and wKere this recognition has been practical, dairy workers have been given some understanding of the processes which are utilised and," consequently, a greater measure of control over those processes. In common with other parts of the world New Zealand has Its institute,- the work of which is research into dairying science. Kot only has this institute carried out much research on its own acconnt, but it has been quick in selecting and adapting promising Innovations emanating from other countries, particularly 'Ameriea. However, there is a limit to the degree to which the *esulfcs of work in other countries can be adapted, and, in any case, leadership in an industry can never he gained or maintained !>y waiting for others to provide knowledge essential to progress.

fJTHE New Zealand Dairy Eesearch Institute was founded in 1927 as a branch of the Department of Scientifle and Indnstrial Research, tiuder the control of the management committee incJuding' xepresentatives of both the Government and the dairy industry, and it was located at Massey Agricul- . tnral College at Palmerston North to avoid as faT as possible the duplication of buildings and farm. The institute is now able to use the milk produeed from the college hetd under carefully eontrolled eonditions, and to conduct research in the experimental factoryThe counterpart in New Zealand of similar research organisations which have existed in Ameriea and European countries for many years, the institute is a recognition on the part of the industry of the necessity for an orderly investigation of problems bv the seientifie method. Although the industry in this country has in the past successfully cmbarked on many new developmcnts, the knowledge underlying these was directly the result of seientifie investigation fr» other countries. New Zealand but-ter-makers and cheese-makers deserve every credit for their alacrity in selecting and adapting these developments, for they proved themselves alert to the possibilities of new apparatus and methods, and, with the aid of the Dairy Divirion of the Department of Agriculture, they were able to mould thp progress of the industry to suit New Zealand individual xequirements. But there 3? a limit lo whjch these over*eas developments may be adapted. i-o review of the work of the institute eould give adequate recognition to the vast arnount of research undertaken, for research has to expiore many possible avenues of usefulness, some of which may prpve quite unprofitable. And the institute must be always on the alert watching the possibilities of new developments. It is an important function of an Organisation such as the institute to act as a elearing-hquse for information and as a place wA-ere new information is collected for use when. the occasion arisesl Ktiowiedge which app(?ars to have no practical application to-day may be the key lo a mighty problem toUiorrow. Tke in>titute has also found it ne-.ce.-sary to do a con«»idera!)le aiiiount of educationaf work. There is no power to coihbel those engaged on the teehnical side rt the industry to adopt modifications and improvements in teehnique. Education and persuasioa * are necessary. In this lies oue of thc

greatest advantages of the location of an institute at an agricultural college, for the research workers are in touch with studeuts, many of whom will occupy managerial positions in the future. In addition to this, dairy factory managers are invited to visit the institute for a week in May eaeh year, this meeting serving as a val- ' uable ' point of contact between those at the institute and the practical woTkers of the industry on whom lies the responsibility of putting the latest deyelopments into direct application. Since the foundation of the institute in 1927, a vast amount of experimental work on butter has been caTried out. Repeated experiments in sending to the English market a highly fiavoured butter of the Danish type showed that it was Jmpossible to carry such n eroduct half way round the world and land it in good condition. Nevertheless, a butter with a fuller flavour is still hoped for and experiments are belng continued by the institute. All this is based on the quality of the creain delivered to the factories and appeals are continually being made to the producers to supply the best possible article.