NGATEA BUTTER FACTORY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4795, 5 January 1925, Page 3

NGATEA BUTTER FACTORY

HIGH STANDARD OF PRODUCT.

RESULT OF EFFICIENCY.

During the month of November 7973 boxes of butter were manufactured at the N.Z. Co-op. Dairy Co.’s Ngatea factory, and all of it was graded superfine, the average grade for the month being 94.35. The Ngatea factory grading has been consistently high all this season, many shipments securing 94.5 points. The average grade for the whole of the company’s 13 factories for November was 92.39 points.

This' splendid achievement demonstrates conclusively the falseness < f the ok! contention that good quality dairy produce could not be made from Hauraki Plains milk and cream. It equally proves that the district is pre-emmently-.suitable for the production of high-grade dairy produce, for there is no doubt that it is largely due to the fact that cows are fed on grass alone—little supplementary crops,

artificial foods, or top-dressing of pastures beig needed —that the grading is so consistently high.

Unremitting care, system and method, close study, and mechanical jnvei’l'on have made it possible to bring the cream from the distant parts of the Plains to the Ngatea factory, there to be manufactuied into a product that is classed superfine by

the Government, graders. The great-

est responsibility for the quality of the output rests with .the farmers, foi obviously superfine butter cannot be made from first or second grade cream. However, the farmer for his own benefit endeavours to produce a superfine article, and to that end is assisted by the dairy instructors and the factory grader. In the factory, however, there is not the same incentive. for at the worst, an employee can only lose his job, and work is plentiful. Thus it is here that the

efficiency of the management is ap-

parent, for good results can only ..e obtained if manager and staff work harmoniously together and an atmosphede of goodwill and pride in their work prevails. With the human element so predominant, it is natural that various checks have been instituted, yet it is. worthy of note that pride in their work has prevented the staff, from becoming oppressed by the checks. One of the most responsible positions in a factory is that of the cream grader, who, in addition to having his work checked twice monthly to' the travelling grader, whose name istamped on suppliers’ dockets, has to supply a return of the quantity of cream graded other than superfine. This is tallied with the amount of butter graded other than superfine by the Government grader, a.nd thus a check is given. The factory employees dislike low grade cream, as it entails extra work. A check is given by the Government grader on all the manufacturing operations, for the grade notes show the points awarded for flavour, texture, salt, packing, and weight. An inspection of a factory such as that at Ngatea cannot fail to show the systematic methods adopted and the care taken with each operation. 'Die process on the receiving stage familiar to many. Here, amid the din of moving cans and escaping

steam, a carefully thought out scheme is tn operation whereby the can lids are r,emoved, the cream stirred, sampled, graded, weighed, and tipped into the receiving vat, and the cans wash-

ed ready to go back to the farms. Every man has .his particular job, ;ind must work steadily to prevent

disorganisation. Once the machineij bn the pasteurisation room is started in the morfiing it is inadvisable to stop it so it is necessary for cream carters to arrive at their schedule time.

The processes iji the factoiy are not so easy to follow. First, the acidity ,of the cream must be neutralised iiy- the addition of soda, and numerous tests and check tests are required befoie the cream can be pasteurised. Pasteruisation is done at Ngatea to’ pumping the cream througi two machines in which fast revolving beaters whirl it around against the steamheated sides. Various factors determine the degree of heat necess.ary, and frequent inspection of the thermometers and adjustments of the amount of cream and steam must be made.

The next process is to cool the cream, and .this is (Jone to’ making it flow, over a series of pipes containing cold water: The temperature is then further reduced by running the cream over a coil of .ammonia refrigerating pipes. It is then pumped into one of the five vats, where it is further cooled and allowed to remain til,! the following day, when it is churned. Three churns capable of making over half a ton of butter at one operation and another twice as big are in use at Ngatea. The method of churning in a butter factory is slightly different to that’ adopted in the home. Tlie churns are made to revolve until the cream breaks into granules oi butter ami buttermilk. This buttermilk is drained off and tlie granule? of butter are washed with water. Thj salt and preservative is then added and the churn set in motion until the granules are bumped into big masses. Tlie working of the butter then commence.-. A “worker is run into the churn, and it rolls and squeezes the butter until only the requisite amount of moisture is incorprated. Tlie law allows a moisture content of 16 per cent., and very careful tests have to be made to ensure tliat this is approached. so that tiie overrun will not be lowered nor yet exceeded. The test is made by weighing a small quantity of butter with and then without the moisture, and so carefully has it to be done that even the temperature of the metal cup containing the sample lias to be taken into consideration when weighing. After the butter is . weighed and found correct to within half an ounce it is packed into boxes ready for ex-

port by a mechanical packer. Sb'ip- ' - jnents aj'e made from Ngatea twice a week, so cool chambers fitted- with

refrigerating coils, and fans to circulate the cold air, are i rovided to store the butter in until the boat arrives.

Butter boxes are assembled at Ngatea. a machine being installed which is easily capable of nailing the 300odd required daily. As in all branches of the dairy industry. cleanliness is of l he utmost importance. In a factory where huge quantities of cream are received daily the Utmost care must be taken. Not only is every vat, pump, pasteuriser, and cooler thoroughly scrubber and scoured daily, but every one of the hundreds of joints in the network of distributing pipes is broken to permit of thorough cleansing. In addition the floor, walls, and machinery receive attention, so that the interior of a factory with its blistening pipes, brightly painted machinery, and white floors and walls is as clean and hygienic as an hospital theatre. .