FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 199, 27 September 1909, Page 1

FARM AND DAIRY.

TUBERCULOSIS. PASTEURISATION ol f SKIM-MILK AND WTIKY. PROFESSOR HANG'S TESTIMONY. DOMINION GOVERNMENT TAKES ACTION.

The alarming extent of tuberculosis among pigs raised in some of the dairying districts of the Dominion has long made it evident that milk and the factory skim-milk and whey tanks provide admirable vehicles for its widespread dissemination. With an accurate knowledge of the extent of infection by this means the former and the present Chief Veterinarians have insistently urged the need of making these contaminating byproducts innocuous, but not till this season have dairy factory companies made any move to give effect to the expert recommendations. It is, therefore, opportune to have the statement of Professor Bang, of Copenhagen, one of the greatest living authorities on bovine tuberculosis, at the International Veterinary Congress, which is now sitting at the Hague, to the effect that the Danish law which compels the heating of skimmed milk to 170deg. Fahv. lias rendered invaluable d-rvice again.it the spread of tuberculosis in Denmark. When lie visited Britain and Europe the Director of the Live Stock and Meat Division of the Department, Mr. C| J. Reakcs, consulted Dr. Bang and obtained a thorough insight into the campaign against tuberculosis which Dr. Bang is so successfully conducting On this mission Mr. Reakes was accompanied by the Dairy Commissioner, Mr. Cuddle, -who avus all'orded an opportunity of studying the method in vogue 'n Danish creameries ami butter factories of dealing with the skim milk. AN IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT.

As a result of the recommendations of Ills experts, the Minister of Agricultuie, the Hon. T. MC-Kwnzic, has authorised the carrying out of an important experiment and demonstration ia connection with pasteurisation of factory by-pro-ducts. A district has been selected, that of Glen Oroua, where the extent of tuberculosis among pigs fed oil factoryskinnned milk has been unusually high. The Department will instal a pasteurising plain in tile '■! n Oroua factory, HTid the work will be closely supervised by tile Dairy Commissioner.

Of course the main subject of experiment will be the enquiry by the Chief Yeterinarion into the effect of pasteurisi ing in reducing infection anions tile ; pigs of the district, but there are minor details which will form the subject of in\estimation by the Daily Commissioner. lor instance, when the experiments were conducted at the end of last season in regard to the cost of pasteurisnp skim-milk and whey, the quantity of material being dealt with did not thi'O'V sufficient light on the frothing trouble At Glen Oroua it will be possible to study this question, as a big supply will have to be dealt with in an expeditious manner. It is hoped to overcome the trouble by running the- skim-miix tinough a vat between tile pasteuriser and the delivery tank. Then again, there is the question of cost when dealrag with a big supply in the flush of the season. Altogether, the Experiment to be conducted at tile Glen Oroua factory should furnish valuable data on the important question of stemming flip increase in tuberculosis in dairying districts. The directorate of the companv has met the Department in a capital spirit. It has welcomed the investigation, and ha®' undertaken to provide any necessary labor in connection with it. PROGRESSIVE COMPANIES.

It is gratifying to know that several dairy factory companies have decided to pasteurise their, skim-milk ,'uid whey supplies this season, a fair indication of the new spirit abroad among dairymen in regard to the importance of controlling disease. The Hawera Dairy Company will pasteurise the whole of its whey, the Jlells Company will pasteurise at two centres and the Dairy Union will pasteurise at its Palmerston factory and one of the skimming stations attached to that manufacturing centre. 'lhis gives some reasonable grounds' for anticipating that tlic principle will extend and in the end become general without the need of a, compulsory measure being brought in. COST OF THE PROCESS. \\ liile there is a fairly general consensus of opinion that pasteurisation is desirable, if tuberculosis is to be checked, the common argument against its adoption is that it will cost too much. The Dairy Commissioner conducted experiments at the end of 'last season to prove that there was nothing in this contention. For the benelit of directorates which are still wavering in the matter the brief results of the experiments are here given. At Hawera, Where the cost of treating wliey was determined, it was found that 10001b could be dealt with at a cost of y a a, where exhaust steam was employed, or Id with live steam. At Scarborough where the test in regard to skim-miik was made, the cost worked out at l%d per lOOOlbs of milk, or 2d a day for a skimming station receiving 10,000 lb of milk, or .003 per pound of fat under exhaust steam and ,02.id per pound under live steam. One point factories should bear in mind is that carting home the hot innocuous skim-miik or whey in the milk cans is' very much belter for the cleanliness of these utensils, and therefore better for the milk to be subsequently carted in them, than where a cold contaminated article is carried in the cans.—Wellington Tiiuijs. Fit ANKLE Y ROAD DAIRY COMI'AXY The following report was' presented to the twelfth annual meeting of shareholders of the Fiankley Road Dairy Company, Ltd.:—The total amount ot milk received during the year was 1.1339371b; the butterl'at i"),001.771b, the quantity of butter made 51,0331b (23 tons lewt. Oqvs. 211b), 21.001b of milk being required to make lib of biuter, the over-run being 13.20, and the average test 4.01. The number of suppliers during the year was 10. The .-,11111 of £IBB3 .3d had been distributed among the shareholders, being an average price of !U)2 per lb. of butterfat. During the year Mr. A. Wallace resigned from the directorate, J[r, G. Tippins being appointed to fill the vacancy. You will be asked to elect three directors in place of Messrs J. Grooby and G. Tippins, who retire,and P. James, resigned (vacancy not lilted), Mr. M. Fleetwood also resigned the secretaryship, Jlr. Harry Stacker being appointed in his place; the position of auditor also because vacant, ilv. T. L. Buxton being elected; it will also lie necessary to elect all auditor anil decide on his remuneration. Mr. Buxton oilers himself for re-election.

The report aud balance-sheet* weve approved. Messrs Grooby a)id '.pippins were reelected directors and Mr. W. tirosk was appointed lo till the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. James. Mr. T. L. Buxton was re-elected audi' tor.

Votes of thanks were accorded the directors lor services rendered during the past year. At a subsequent meeting of the directors, Mr. IT. J. it. Okev, M.l'., was reelected chairman for the ensuing yea