The Chronicle LEVIN. TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 1917. THE CHEESE-MAKING INDUS TRY.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 March 1917, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN. TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 1917. THE CHEESE-MAKING INDUS TRY.

Comparative success has attended the efforts of the New Zealand Department <;1* agriculture to establish in this dominion a widespread practice oi sav- • ing calvcs' veils, for the making or renl.ct. The importance cl this step is ko c bvicu.s. having regard to the difficulty < f securing .supplies from overseas during the prevalence of war conditions, that it is desirable to do all that can he done to better the present conditions < f veil-saving in these* islands. From a report prepared by the Department of rgrieulture, we note that as a result of the season's operations approximately 20,000 air-dried veils liave been secured. Of this number 23,000 have been exported to England for the manufacture of rennet for the supply of the dominion, about 1000 have been used in manufacture of rennet locally, and the remaining 1000 comprise those now on hand and some still to come forward. Jn the early part of the season a large percentage of the veils came to hand in bad condition, being badly dressed, damp and mouldy, and requiring a lot of attention to put them in a condition suitable for export. A number were also damaged and discoloured a« a result of the calves not being bled and the stomachs not being removed immediately after slaughter. As the seasr.n advanced, however, a steady improvement was apparent, and now at the end of the season it can be stated that, while there is still ample room for further improvements, the average condition of the veils secured has exceeded expectations. Damage to veils has been due principally to the following cases: (1) Parcelling or packing the veils before they are sufficiently dry; (2) permitting them to get damp in the case after packing—generally while in transit ; (3) exposing them to tlio enn for drying; (4) applying salt as a safeguard against flies (this prevents them from drying and otherwise damages them); (5) neglecting to bleed the calves, and neglecting to remove the stomachs immediately after slaughter ; (C) storing the veils at the factories, and' forwarding them to Wellington in packages as received from farmers. The latter practice has been responsible for more damage than any other cause. Factories have repeatedly made, consignments composed of small packages tightly wrapped and tied. These parcels had apparently neither been examined nor counted after their receipt from the farmers. In many cases they had been thus parcelled while still damp, and on arrival in Wellington they were found to be mouldy and discoloured, and in some case in a state of .putrefaction and quite useless. A small percentage of veils from new-born 'calves have come j forward. These are not valued, and should be rejected at the factories, j Chives should not be killed for ren- ! net purposes under four days old. ' While the average quality of the veils i has exceeded expectations, the number ' secured (which probably does not rep'.' 1 - •j sent more than 9 per cent of the cali ves slaughtered during the-season) is 1 disappointing to all who have taken an ' active interest in promoting the. man- ! ufacture of rennet as a new industry , for the*dominion. Now that fanners know what is required, however, better ' results may be reasonably expected during the coming season. It would indeed be an anomaly if, while relying on 1 outside sources which are subject to interruption, those directly interested ' in cheese manufacture should continue to permit the waste of raw material 1 available locally for the manufacture of a commodity so essential to their industry as rennet.