FARMING NOTES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4703, 26 May 1924, Page 1

FARMING NOTES.

EXPORT OF BACON. THE MARKET IN BRITAIN. If the present depression in the butter and cheese markets should be of a lasting nature it will, in a very short time, become a matter of sheer necessity for the dairy farmer to explore every possible channel for increasing his revenue. It is quite possible that'under such circumstances the pig will come back to its own, and will prove that under proper management it can be made as profitable as the cow. “

Daily farmers have been repeatedly advised that there existed a good market in Britain for pig products, and this market could be developed if care, technical knowledge, and skill 'were applied to the task. Britaint imports of hams and bacon are steadily‘expanding. The quantities imported" during the past three years are as follows: 1921, £6,801,875 ; 1922, £7,365,394.; 1923, £9,640,241. Last year showed an increase Ol 2,000,000ewt over 1922, and the total for last year does not by any means represent the limit of Britain’s consumption demands. During the year supplies were drawn from the followi ing e< untries: United States, 4,148,i 974 ; Denmark, 3,530,561 ; Canada, 943,591 ; other countries, 612,114. , New Zealand sent some Dozen pork last year, but the quantity was not la r ge enough to bring the Dominion into the picture. Last year the United States supplied 47 per cent, and Denmark 37 per cent, of the totdl. The latter sends all bacon, while of the contribution from the United States over one-'third is in hams. The "average value of the imporcs last year was 10%d per lb, against Is id in 1922, and Is 4%d in 1921. In 1914-15 the average was 8d per .b, and producers should, endeavour to work down to the latter figure. Sooner or later from the United ,States.must contract, and tne country will have barely sufficient for domestic requirements. America was at one time an exporter of beef and butter. but now there is scarcely enough t»eef to meet the home demand, while buttei has. had to be imported from Denmark. It was the demands from the United States that helped to maintain the price of Denmark butter on the British market recently. The export from New Zealand has so far proved disappointing, and there appears to be a disinclination cm the part of New Zealand bacon factories to embark on.any. scheme of exporting on a large scale. , Although the price during the past season has been fairly satisfactory, it is being recognise.! "by all that the New Zealand bacqn industry will never be properly stabilised until it is thoroughly established on the. co-operative lines of New Zealand butter and cheese. FEEDING TURNIPS. EFFECT ON MILK. - An interesting bulletin on the effect of feeding turnips on the flavour and ■. pdgur of milk has just been issued by the U.S, Department of Agriculture. The bulletin is written by. C. J, Babcock, Assistant Market. Milk Specialist, Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Industry. In the experiments conducted the turnips fed were mostly "swedes,” with a few cew-horn turnips mixed. They were stored for a short time before feeding. The following conclusions from the investigation are published : > - Feeding-turnips-to-dairy cows at - the rate of 15 pounds one hour before •milking produces objectionable offflavours and. odours in the milk. “Increasing the amount of turnips fed one hour before milking, from 15 to 30 pounds increases io very marked degree the intensity of the clf-flavouvs and odours, produced in the milk. "Feeding turnips at the rate of 30 pounds immediately..aftei; milking has but little detrimental" effect on . the flavour and odour .of the milk. “Proper aeration reduces strong offflqvours and- odours in milk caused by feeding turnips, and some of. the slight off-flavours and odours may he eliminated, “The off-flavours and odours produced by feeding turnips are more pronounced in the cream than in, the milk.”