CHEESE INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 19 June 1928, Page 3

CHEESE INDUSTRY

AYRSHIRE AND FRIESIAN

JERSEY THEORY EXPLODED

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

HA WEI? A, June 18. Revelations of profound importance to the dairy industry are made in a report issued to-day by Air P. O. Vealo, the Research. Chemist in charge of tlie Taranaki Federation Laboratory, covering Investigations concerning tlie values of high and low testing of milk for elieeso making. The first section of tho report occupies twelve columns of the Ilawera Star to-day. The aim of the experiment has been to determine, ns the result of the season’s cheesemaking with milks of Jersey high-testing and of Ayrshire and Friesian low-testing breeds, what class of milk and what type of cheese are best suited under New Zealand conditions for export. As published so far the findings indicate the greater value for cheese production of the low test than the more populnrly favoured high test animals. As they embrace an extensive field of inquiry, with answers to a large numibor of hotly debated questions, the findings are with difficulty summarised, but a statement

of paramount importance is Mr Veale’s remark that many dairy farmers are losing large sums of money by their present adherence to the high testing cows for cheesemaking purposes. He lias found that the cheese produced from the milk of the Friesians returned twopence per pound of butterfat more than tho product of the high-testing herd. Expressed in percentage form, the actual average yields secured over the whole season show a strong preponderance in favour of low-testing milks. The Friesians gave a, production of over 13 per cent more cheese, and the Ayrshircs over 9 per cent more eTicese, per pound of butterfat, than the Jersey, states Mr Veale. On the other hand, the old contention that the Jersey’s choose would

sell at a premium on the Homo market duo to its higher butterfat content, has been borne out, it having averaged twopence per cwt over the whole season in advance of the price realised for the low-testing product; though this premium, on the total sales, actually made little impression upon tho increased production per pound of butterfat of the low-testing milk.

For the purposes of investigation the milk of three herds, consisting of 55 Jerseys, 50 Ayrshire, and 70 Friesians were made into cheese, under ordinary factory conditions, in three experimental vats situated in an ordinary cheese factory belonging to the Hawera Co-op. Dairy Coy at Tokaora. Full analysis, by standard official methods, were made daily in the laboratory, of all the. constituents of tlie milk, whey and cheese. Each batch of cheese was weighed, .and separately graded in New Zealand; also regraded, weighed and valued in London, and full reports on the quality and suitability were supplied by experts appointed in London. A full history was thus recorded from the time that tho milk entered the factory to the actual point of the salo of the cheese.

One millions pounds of milk wore handled, manufacturing 49 tons of cheese, while the work at the laboratory entailed, besides intricate records and graphs, no fewer than 10,000 pieces of analysis. Commencing on September Ist. 1926, the practical investigation concluded on April 30th, 1927. Tho final reports from London were received early this year.

The Friesians here commenced the season with an average test of 3.45. This fell to a minimum of 3.25, rising at the end of tlie season to a maximum of 4.18.

The respective figures for the Ayrshires were 3.75, 3.55 and 4.47. Those for tho Jerseys were 4.53 4.33, and 5.78.

The tables from the analysis of tho milk yields show that'the low-testing breeds secured a bigger yield of cheese per pound of butterfat. The Friesian breed, which was the lowest tester, was outstanding. Actually the lowest yield of the Friesians was 2.652 for any ten-day period. This was higher than the highest of the Jerseys, viz. 2.021, for any similar period during, the season. These differences were caused by differences in tho proportion of casein to fat. Out of a total of 714 crates of cheese, 36, or 5.04 per cent were graded second at Pateit. For tho major part" of the season, the Jerseys maintained practically 92 points or more; whereas the low-test varieties fluctuated mostly between 90J- arid 90 points. The AyrsliTres showed the greatest variation in quality, and this breed was little inferior in the average grade to the Friesians. though this is partly ascribed to a difference in tho milking-slied appliances. There were many occasions when these types scored uniformly 28 or 284 points out of 30, for body and texture; but during the majority of the spring and summer months the Jersey tended to show an advantage of half a, point in body and texture. As against this the low-test maintained its average first as the season drew to a close, though the high-test fell away distinctly, finishing up second grade. At this stage of the season the fat test of the Jersey milk was so high that the body of the cheese was always open and greasy. At the conclusion of this phase, Air Voale states, during the months of March and April, the fat test of the Jersey milk was frequently in the vicinity ol 6 per cent, and it actually reached 6.62 per cent on April 27th, with an average per period of 10 days varying from 5.2 to 5.8. During the same two months, the Friesians and -Ayrshire's’ test rarely went above 4.5, while the highest period test reached by the Friesians breed was only 4.19 during the last ten days of ApriL These figures indicate that 4 to 4.5 per cent of butterfat represents the limit, bevond which it is unsafe to go. if one would make a consistently good cheese of uniform body. Referring to the New Zealand regulations requiring that export cheese shall contain not less than 50 per cent of fat in dry matter, the report remarks that, since the cheese from normal Friesian. and Ayrshire milk frequently falls below that standard during the spring months, the effect of the regulations is to pTaee undue restrictions upon those breeds. “It is significant,” continues Mr Veale, “that these breeds form a large proportion of the cheese herds of our Canadian competitors, and that the standard set in Canada for export cheese is 45 per cent. Since the Canadian cheese has, at least during the last few years, consistently commanded a premium' over New Zealand cheese, we rimy well ask ourselves whether our regulations are wisely framed, and, if so, what return arc wo getting for the burden of the extra. five per cent of butterfat with which we voluntarily lead ourselves.”