Dairying In Denmark.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue XXXXV, 10 December 1903, Page 4

Dairying In Denmark.

Mr A. C. Thompson, of Timaru (writes the London correspondent of Christchurch Truth) called to say good-bye, and il then learned that fee had just returned from a flying visit to Denmark.

"I Was there only for a week," •aid Mr Thompson ; "I was not able to spare longer time, but I had a good look through two of the Danish dairy facto pies—one being a

•show' factory. I had also a look at some far-ms, and found the Danish l>eople everywhere excee.i.ngly kind. I was astonisihed at the and hospitality they showed to t. complete stranger. What did I thl.ik of the Danish dairy factories ? Well, I would like not to criticise. But I may say I am better pleased than over I was before with the position of our own dairying. In fact, 1 did not learn anything from all I saw in Denmark or Ireland. We have machinery in New Zealand which I consider to be ahead of anything I have seen anywhere, and some of our factories are built on a principle that I have seen nothing to equal anywhere io the course of my trawls. ''

v l>id you bear anything of the average yield of the Danish cows ?" I asked.

"Yes," said Mr Thompson. "The yield of a hold is about the .same as the yield of a good herd in New Zea-

land. The Danish heids are very " nice, very even, of the Shorthorn type, brod with a view to dairying. I saw no cross with the Holstein breed, which I fancy is more suitable for a low-lying, damp country lipe Holland. In Denmark the cows are all red—you may see sixty to one hundred cows in a herd, and perhaps not a spot on any of them. As I say, they are bred from the Shorthorn—<a breed which I have been advocating in New Zealand, that is to aay, a cross between the Shorthorn and the Ayrshire. Of course such a cross is also suitable for beef. Now, in Denmark, I did not see a bullock. The bull calves are fed up to about nine months and then killed. The Danes consider it waste to feed beef •veil although it fetches one shilling per pound." "That is rather a stiff price, isn't it ?"

"Mutton is the same price," answered Mr Thompson. "And I do not sea why there should not be an opening there for our.frozen mutton. They have a duty, but I think It is a. market that should be kept in view. Thoy use a lot of American tinned be»f in Denmark, and I should think something might be done by our people with preserved beef and mutton and preserved rabbits. The Dames, I can assure you, arc a go-ahead people, and so far as I have seen it is the cmly country apart from British soil that I would care to live to. As an instance of their go-aheadness, I may mention that they employ electricity largely, and in this respect we may get many a wrinkle from them." In conclusion, Mr Thompson referred to the strictness of the Danish authorities as to the quaiity of the produce exported. He learned, apparently to his surprise, that if a man sells a ratten egg, he is fined from £2 to £3. Mr Thompson expressed gratification that he had been able to take a run to Denmark and see things for himself.