BUTTERFAT PAY-OUTS.

Shannon News, 19 January 1926, Page 3

BUTTERFAT PAY-OUTS.

THE DECEMBER PRICES. PROSPECT OF IMPROVEMENT. December proved a fairly satisfactory month for dairy-farmers in the Horowhenua and surrounding districts. The supply to aibduft the last week in the month kept up better than was expected, and the decrease wlion compared with the previous month was very slight i-n> most cases. On the other hand, it appears that the butterfat test is slightly below the previous year although the difference is not very great. Nearly all factory secretaries and managers are unanimous though that the drop since the commencement of the pro. sent month has been much more pronounced, and a special feature seema to be the suddenness with which this drop Set, in. Neither does it appear as if the welcome rain of the last week or so was able to improve the position very much, although it ia • generally admitted that it checked the drop for the time being. It » - generally recognised that neither feed nor the most favourable climatic conditions will increase the individual pioduction of dairy cows this time of the season, although it is possible to hold them and prolong the lactation period. Good Pay-Outs. Considering; the unsettled state or the markets, the pay-outs of the factories throughout the surrounding districts must be considered highly, sat- ' isfactory. Needless to say, cheese factories, owing mainly to the fact factories are in a position to make much higher advances than butter that nearly the whole of the cheese manufactured in this district had been ; sold up to the end of December at Very satisfactory prices. The Mangawhata Co-operative Da|ry Company for instance, is in the happy position of paying a 3d bonus to its suppliers on all cheese manufactured up to the end of December, ( making the total payout for the season 1/9 per lb., butterfat —probably a record for the Dominion} . , Forward buyers have been extremely busy during the last couple of weeks offering up to 1/5 for butter and B|d for cheese. We learn that two or three factories have done business at these figures while quite a number have declined; 1/6 for butter and 9d for cheese appear to be the popular prices-with most factories and it is quite possible that these figures may be reached before long. Improved Grading., The quality of the butter and cheese manufactured in this district is very satisfactory this season, and the grading is supposed to be slightly above last year. Speaking to the secretavr of a dairy company which has"; been; grading 94 points consistently, his opinion was that most of the credit was due to the excellent work done by the Government Dairy Instruc- ( tors. He said that the service and' work done by these men was being more and more appreciated by both suppliers and the factory management, and that the cost was trifimg when compared with the great advantages: Under this system, the salary of the Inspector and the expenses connected with his work are shared by the Government and the factories. One Inspector as a rule is engaged by three or four factories, and in this, particular instance, the Secretary stated that the cost to his factory was approximately 4/- ; per ton of butterfat. I .'-..' Advances for December. The advances for the following factories for December's output are \s follows: —

Improvements recommended at the on North railway yards by the shunting commission are gradually being given effect to. First there was th'? •ulditional lighting'at ijighr, which was followed by' it re-organisation of the staff. Now steps are being taken, to •■:tond across Cook Street, one or two of the lines that at present end at that thoroughfare. This will. give a little more- shunting room and involve the removal'of the ( present carpenters' shed. A new building for those workmen is iiow in the course of erection south of the Cook Street crossing.

Butter Cheese ' s d s d Ashhurst ! 1 6 Awahuri . . 1 3 ■' — Bainesse — 1 S Cheltenham . . 1 3 ■ —: Levin .. 1 4 — Makowhai . . . . . —■ 1 8 Mangawhata . (bonus 3d) 1 6 Kairanga . . 1 4 1 7 Riverbank . . .. 16 1 8 Shannon . . 14 — Tokomaru . . — 1" 81 Whakarongo . . 17 1 8