BUTTERFAT PRODUCTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 19, 23 January 1915, Page 7

BUTTERFAT PRODUCTION.

- i \ 1 FOOD FOR THOUGHT. u ~ .. -j » ■ A rather remarkable sot of figure? H on the local production of butter-fat ■ was submitted by Mr J. B. Richards, |j President of the Stratford Chamber ol 9 Commerce, at the annual meeting last | evening, and the complexion that the 1 past two years has put upon the sub--9 jcct is decidedly encouraging. || Production of butterfat, he said, is I of primary importance in our district 9 and in order to make a useful compari--9 son, I have totalled the butterfat reH ceived by' the Stratfoul, Ngaere and I Cardiff Dairy Companies for the past I five years. The area of land utilised * in production of butterfat supplied to these Companies has not varied much in that period, and therefore the following figures are a reasonable indication of the productivity of the district. The figures are: Lbs. 1909-10 1.999,551 1010-11 1,900,209 1911-12 1,820,801 1912- 2,014.221 1913- 2,190,903 1 The decrease of production from 1909-10 to 1911-12 was certainly disquieting, but the increase from 19-1-12 to 1913.14 is reassuring, representing as it does, an increase of 10.0 pel cent. Without wishing to disparage the advantages of improved breeding I of dairy cows, I venture to oiler the opinion that the decrease up to ; 1911-12 was chiefly due to deterioration 1 of old bush pastures, and the subsequent recovery and increase are chiefly due to the renewal of pastures by means of stumping, ploughing, and iesowing, and to top dressing. We may therefore reasonably urge the advisa- . hility of continued efforts in. this dirI ection, and confidently anticipate susI tained annual increases.