OPINION BY EXPERTS OF DAIRY DIVISION.

Shannon News, 30 December 1924, Page 3

OPINION BY EXPERTS OF DAIRY DIVISION.

Mr Singleton, • director of the Dairy Division, addressing a meeting of factory managers at Palmerston North the other day, emphasised the point, that one of the most important factors in improving the quality of New Zealand butter and cheese, was work, of an educational character among dairy farmers in order to improve the quality of raw material.

Considering’ the large number of milking plants and separators in use in New Zealand, work of such a nature is certainly more essential today than it has ever been. As was pointed out by a later speaker at the same meeting, in nine cases out of ten, offences against cleanness and proper care of utensils and machinery are committed through ignorance on the part of the producers, and are remedied when pointed out and exgenerally remedied when pointed out and explained by the inspector or factory manager. Too Much Work.

A great deal of truth was contained' in a remark made by Mr Curie, dairy instructor, when he said that the aver, ag’e dairy farmer had to do two days work in one.| “Up to a few weeks ago,” said this gentleman, “the quality of milk and cream received by the factories was excellent. As soon as ploughing, sowing and hay-making started, there was a, marked drop in quality, mainly because dairy farmers did not have sufficient time to give to their milking plants and separators. The average dairyman attempts to do two men’s work,” he maintained. That milking machines and home separators are a great source of trouble is shown by the fact that in spite of the great progress made by pasteurisation and neutralisation, the average quality of our butter has not improved during the last few years. One speaker pointed out that all the pasteurisation and neutralisation in the world will not make 1 good cream out of bad cream, a statement which was confirmed by Mr Smith, dairy instructor, who said that butter and cheese -are no better than-the cream or milk from which they are made. Effective Scheme Wanted. Although the director of the dairy division and his staff as well as tne lactory managers are convinced that much educational work is necessary in this direction before any. material improvement can be brought about no definite remedy or,means of supplying such want has been put forward by any speaker at the said meeting. AL though it is admitted that the work done by the Government Inspectors and Instructors is of great help and benefit, yet it is recognised that it has serious limitations. Apart from us

limited scope, it fig costly, and on that score alone, prevents many small factories from making use of it. If real good results are to be achieved, it will no doubt remain with the dairy factories themselves, to devise some scheme, whereby they can regularly reach every one of their suppliers and convince him, that it is in his own interest as well as in the. interest of his company and the industry in general, to supply hi's factory with nothing but the very best of milk or cream. V_