IMPROVING DAIRY PRODUCE

Shannon News, 30 December 1924, Page 4

IMPROVING DAIRY PRODUCE

• CLEANIANESS ESSENTIAL FEATURE.

meeting of farmers EISCJJSSES REMEDIES.

On January 1 th® mum grading points for dairy produce are to h© raiße , From 88 to 90, and with the approach of this date farmers are realising the necessity for’some action towards the production of a better raw material to attain the higher grade. A meeting of farmers was held at Palmerston North yesterday undetv the auspices of the Manawatu branch of the N.Z. Dairy Factory Managers, Association, in order to discuss methods, by which an improvement could be effected. About 30 farmers attended,'Mr D. Hull, Dominion president of the Association, presiding. I . Among those present -were the following members of the New Zealand Dairy Division: Messrs Wm Singleton', director; J. O’Dea, chief cheese grader; J. W. Smith and J. R. Curie, dairy instructors, Palmerston North. The chairman explained the purpose for which the meeting had been called, and said that the raising of the grade points meant a raising of, the standard of the produce. The matter was important, in view of the large export of dairy produce from, the Dominion. He predicted a‘glut on the market in the near future, and when this occurred only the best would be bought. Recent prices had shown a drop representing about 2d per lb butter-fat. The factory managers were endeavouring to turn out the very best, but they required the co-operations of the producers themselves .

Quality First; Mr W. M. Singleton, director of the Dairy Division, commended the action of the factory managers for the interest they manifested in the production of first-class dairy produce, and pointed out that the managers were really the employees of the farmers. In consequence of investigation little over a year ago, the percentage of excesses in butter had been reduced to exactly half, and it was expected that this year’s produce would show up jso well at the other end that very few complaints would be justified. They had to realise that the quality would always have to be considered as the main factor in the dairy industry.

In referring to. the activities of the United States, the speaker said it had been found that it did not pay to send any but the best butter to the British market. So would it be with New Zealand. Payment for Quality. The production of butter here had placed the produce on a plane above the other competing countries, and it remained with the factory authorities and the farmers themselves to see that the goods would never fail to command the highest price. It was . quite possible to maintain the present position, although the quality of the produce of other countries was being raised. The speaker recalled that there were in operation in the Dominion today between 14,000 and 15,000 milking plants, representing about .52,000 sets of teat ‘cups, while over half "of the cows were milked by machinery, and 42,000 separators operated. Every detail had.to be kept perfectly clean. The method of paying the farmer according to quality was the best that could be devised. -

The pasteurisation of cream at factories had assisted in raising the quality. It must be remembered, however, that pasteurisation and neutralisation would never-take the place of good, dean cream for butter, and good, clean milk for cheese. Next month, an endeavour would be made to induce the lower scoring grade factories to make endeavours to improve their produce, instead of being content with just getting into the grade by a narrow margin. In conclusion,'the speaker expressed, himself as sanguine that New Zealand would maintain its present high p«feition on the market. ,

Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., briefly addressed the gathering and stressed the necessity for close co-operation between the farmers and the members of the Dairy Division. He commended the system of cream grading, and urged that it be made compulsory. It was pleasing- to observe that most of the factories in this district had adopted the system of payment on quality. ' Cheese Falling Back. Mr J. O’Dea said up to a few weeks ago a decided improvement had been noticed in the produce passing through the store at Wellington, but since then it had fallen back- —particularly in respect to cheese. Discoloration had been apparent in cheese, and the remedy for this remained in the hands of the factory managers and the farmers. It was frequently noticeable that the cheese passing through the stores was very roughly finished. This he attributed to unsuitable labour being employed in factories. The young men in the factories were the managers of the future, and it behoved the managers to see that they obtained the best possible labour. Very few college lads were going into factories, but if a dairy school) were instituted some advancement might be made in this direction. The trouble was that the labour was too casual. Much inconvenience was caused through managers sending cheese to the grading store before the 14 days on the shelf.

Eliminating Flavours. Mr J. W. Smith briefly traversed ( some of the Taults which had ,*een I observed In both milk and .iream, rte- [ voting a few minutes to objectionable flavours and odours Mr J. H. Curie said he had heard the same ground traversed for the past twenty years towards the improvement of the dairy produce. There was only one line along- which anyl- ing could be accomplished-—care, from the feeding-of the stock through the different stages of production to the ship’s hold. It was an illusion that the establishment of a laboratory was to end every trouble. The conditions of work, both in the factory and on the farin' were not conducive to securing the best labour, the only recommendation being plenty of hard work. It had appeared at ■ the beginning of the season that the cheese was going. to eclipse previous seasons’ in quality, but during the past month or so it had fallen off to a great extent This was attributable <*• '

(to carelessness in preparation of milk and cream; while some of the blame could be traced to the interior of the factory. Following a general discussion upon the questions before the meeting, Mr J. Ltnklater, M.P., spoke briefly and advanced the contention that the installation of electricity was destined to play a most important part in the improvement of the , produce, for it made for more, efficient working. Cleanliness was ' the greatest consideration, and the speaker advocated a continuous stream of water running through the yards. Votes of thanks were accorded the speakers and the chairman.