DAIRY INSTRUCTION.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 133, 20 May 1926, Page 8

DAIRY INSTRUCTION.

THE SYSTEM EXPLAINED. Production Under Supervision. The growing popularity of the farm dairy instruction system is well demonstrated by the fact that 38 of these instructors are operating in various parts of New Zealand (says the current issue of the Journal of Agriculture). The number of dairy farms under their supervision is over 30,0905, producing approximately 60 per cent of the butter-fat made into butter and cheese. Wherever farm dairy instructors have been operating for some time a very decided improvement in the quality of the milk or cream supply has been noticeable. The farmers are quick to recognise the benefits of the advice and assistance given by these officers, and repeatedly, when trouble with the supply arises, send, for the instructor, in order to obtain his help in locating the cause of the difficulty. In the past the work of farm dairy f instruction has been undertaken by the ordinary instructional staff of the' Dairy Division, but during the busy m season, when this work is most effective, the instructors’ time is very fully occupied in connection with the factories, etc. Each year, however, a number of dairies have been visited, and assistance and instruction given in. connection with the better care of milk or cream. The conditions found on. many of the farms visited, have brought home very forcibly the urgent need of more constant supervision, which can be obtained only by the appointment of an officer who is able to devote the whole of his time to this work. The appointment of a farm instructor entails no very heavy expense to the dairy company or companies concerned. We estimate that one officer can undertake this work in connection with from 500 to farms. A common practice is for a number of dairy companies to combine in order that the requisite number of farms may be available. In districts where the factories are situated fairly close to each other this grouping system can be worked very satisfactorily. The salary usually paid to farm dairy instructors is £320 per annum, and where 500 or more farms are under the officer’s su.peorvisi’on the De- flfe partment of Agriculture has assisted the dairy companies to the extent of pro Adding half the salary, Or £l6O per year. Where the number of farms is * below 500 the Department has provided a proportionate subsidy. For example, if the instructor Avere serving only '250 farms, the Department’s con- j tribution would be £BO. In addition to their proportion of 1? the salary, the dairy companies have to find all the instructor’s travellingand locomotion expenses. We estimate these at about £2OO per year, and, this ... amount, added to that of the officer’s- » salary of £320, gives a total annual’ *'* expenditure of £520. Deducting departmental quota of £l6O. the net cost of a farm dairy instructor’s services to each dairy company or group of dairy companies having 500 or more suppliers Avould be £360 per year. This' must be regarded as a remarkably small expenditure per milk or cream supplier in proportion to the services rendered.. Where a number of factories are * grouped together the proportion of each dairy company’s contribution to -he total expmsds is usually worked out on the basis of the amount of *a butter-fat supplied to each company. w Farm dairy instructors are appointed by the Department of Agriculture so that they have official standing. The $ Department pays the officer's salary in full, the dairy company or group of companies undertaking to repay to the Department each month their due proportion. The companies find directly all expenses of travelling and locomotion. A few companies employing farm dairy instructors have found it con- J venient to arrange with the officer to provide his own motor car and travel- - ling expenses for a lump sum—say, around £2OO per annum. Under this system the companies know exactly w hat the annual expenditure will be. It is generally conceded, however, that the best plan in the long run is for the companies to provide the motor car and expenses.