DAIRYING METHODS

Shannon News, 13 July 1928, Page 4

DAIRYING METHODS

TOUR BY FACTORY MANAGERS.

PKAISE FOR DOMINION.

A favourable impression of the methods employed in the manufacture of dairy produce in .New Zealand has been gained by the delegation of Australian dairy factory managers who are touring the North Island. The tour. has been arranged to reciprocate the visit jaul by a number of Now Zealand-fac-tory managers to Australia last year. So satisfied are the Australian delegates with the results of the visit that .it is proposed to make the interchange of visits an annual arrangement. The Australian delegation consists of Mr J. Proud, mauagor of the Camberdown Co-operative Dairy Company, Victoria,-and the ; president of the Federal Factory Association; Mr J. W. Martin, manngrr o? the Apolla Bay Co-operative Dairy Company. Victoria; and Mr A. K Sweancy,-man-ager of the Inverneil Co-operative Butter and Bacon Company,. New South Wales. The visitors arrived in'-'Ham-ilton on Thursday evening from Taranaki.

Mr Sweaney told a New Zealand "Herald" representative that the party had had an opportunity of touring tho Manawatu and Tarahaki Provinces, where numerous factories were inspected. They also visited the Palmerston: North and Hawera Shows. An excellent impression of the quality-of New Zealand ; butter and cheese -was obtained. It was noticed that. New Zealand factories which manufactured butter and cheese chiefly for .export trade made a produce o"f lower acidity than, was usual in Australia.- T-he reason for this was readily understood, for in Australia, where a great deal of produce was consumed locally, a fullerflavoured article of higher acidity was required.

Wherever the visitors went they were struck with the luxuriant .growth of the pastures which, considering it was were in excellent- condition. Mr 1 Sweaney said 'Australia had a great deal to learn from New Zealand in the management of pastures A great deal of cultivation, was don© in Australia but the New Zealand farmer reduced cultivation to-a'minimum and adopted a more economical -aad more satisfactory method of farm;management by _ top-dressing extensively. It was noticed that top-dressing in" no way affected, the'flavour of the produce while it insured a steady .growth .of feed nearly all the year round.

Climatic conditions, in Victoria were similar to those in New Zealand, and the cows, were dried off for two months in the winter. In "New South Wales the cows were, milked all the year round Mr Sweaney applauded New Zealand's work in promoting herd-testing, and| said the lessons the delegation had' learned in this connection would be invaluable' to Australian farmers. Generous hospitality had been extended' to the visitors throughout the tour by Government.officials, factory managers and everyone; they had met.