THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 97, 14 October 1911, Page 3

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

j MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE'S VI KWiS.

In the annual report of the Department of Agriculture, the "Minister in charge of the Department (the lion. T. Mackenzie) says the genera] expansion of the industry continues, and not only is the output from the settled milk-pro-ducing areas on the increase, but as fast as new country can be prepared for grazing the production of milk is taken up. Had the past season been of a more favorable character, from a climatic standpoint, the output would have shown a much larger increase in butter, as well as a big increase in cheesfl. The lesson of the past season has led to increased attention being paid to the provision of special green fodder for the. drier juuutli- of the year. Tlifs awakening, logctlor with the increased attention being paid to the. culling, of herds and tlic use of a purebred bull, must have a marked ell'cct on the future prospects of lhe industry.

ft is gratifying to be able to report that a steady advance is being made by the majority of factorhs in the quality of the butter and cheese manufactured. Unsatisfactory work has been noticeable ■in a number of cases, but, as the sources of this weakness are known.-the Minister says there is every reason to believe that, with the assistance of officers of the Department, these troubles will be rectified.

Again this year certain adverse criticism of our butter and cheese on the Home market lias been made, principally by agents handling rival butlers. As it lias been practically impossible to reconcile these report's with the expert opinion of the grader.- of the Department at this end. the need of a (nullified New Zealand expert on butter and cheese i|iiality to safeguard the reputation of our dairy-produce and the interests of producers has been more urgently emphasised than ever before. Such an officer has been appointed. .His duty will bo to examine ottr butter and cheese as it reaches the Home market, to note exactly how it opens out in Loudon, ami to provide -an authoritative comparison with the grading at this end and the quality of the produce as it 'readies the market. Great benefit should accrue to the butter and cheese makers of the Dominion, and through them to the dairy farmers, us a result of this appointment, COW TESTING.' One of the most important movements for the advancement of milk-producing interests yet undertaken by the Department was the formation of cow-testing associations. Although the associations are as yet limited, so enthusiastic has been the support of the fanner that the movement bids fair to rapidly extend throughout the dairying districts of the | Dominion, and to exert a far-reaching inllueiu'c on the welfare of the industry. Realising all that this movement means to the settlers and to New Zealand, the 31 mister says be intends to do all in his power to encourage its development. Another movement essential to dairying progress which he is anxious to see extended is : the-pasteurisation of the byproducts of dairy, factories, in connection with which he has had carried out a thoroughly exhaustive demonstration, the results of which must largely inlluence farmers in adopting this vital means of stamping out that dread scourge tuberculosis from their herds of cattle and I swine.,

The total number of factories, etc., registered under the Dairy Industry Act is now 824, as against 7;>2 in 11)10. The increase is made, up as under:—Creameries 8, cheese factories 27, private butter dairies 25, private cheese dairies 7, and pa'- 1 -1 - houses 5. '