DAIRY PRODUCTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1920, Page 9

DAIRY PRODUCTS.

DRIED AND EVAPORATED ivrTT.K, INCREASED USE IN AMERICA, ~A ' t he meeting of the shareholders of Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Company on Saturday, the following report was presented by Mr. P. C. Petersen in connection with his visit to America on behalf of the company:— The growth of the condensed milk and milk powder industries the United' Mates during the war period has been the most notable feature of dairy production. Jt ia estimated that for Ifll'J the total quantity of condensed and evaporated milk will be nearly 110,000,0001b. .valued at 20,000,000 dollars. The total quantity of milk-powder produced during * the year amounted to nearly 6,000,0001b, valued at approximately 2,000,000 dollars. In view of the falling off in fluid milk consumption in all the larger cities, the influence of the recent campaigns to promote more extended use of dairy products has naturally been of mi;eh benefit, but the present time calls for a continuation of such efforts to acquaint consumers with the gain in general welfare from a more extended use of milk products- The fact should be instillei in the public mind that, although there have been advances in the price x>f all dairy products, such increases have not kept pace with the raising of charges for other foods, that dairy products are .still a cheap'source of energy and protein, and that they fulfil a role so beneficial to good health that other commodities cannot be substituted for them. CONSUMPTION OF FLUID MILK. The New York and Chicago Health Departments have ascertained, as a result of recent investigations, that at least in certain sections of those cities less flui-1 milk is being consumed than formerly. In the city of Boston a fairly accurate and consistent record has been kept for a series of years of the amount of fluid milk, evaporated milk, and milk powder consumed daily. These Sata indicate that from 1916 to date there has been a decline in the consumption of fluid milir, and an increase in the use of concentrated milk products. Based on the amount of milk used in 1916 and the estimated. population in that and subsequent years, it has been possible to determine roughly the quantity of milk which Bostonians should have used daily for the years 1917, 1018 and 1919, had they consumed it at. the same rate as in 1916, when 347,735 quarts of fluid milk was used. Quarts of milk used daily in 1917, 342,244; quarts of milk which shouid' have been used based on the consumption of 1916, 353,209; 1918, 342,451—358,017; 1919, 333,506—364,157. Thus from information procurable from various sources, it is apparent that under prevailing conditions the consumption of milk in its fluid state is undergoing a steady decline. In addition to data just cited indicating decreased employment of fluid milk, there is further confirmation of a tremendous jump since 1916 in the sale of concentrated milk products. Many have known of this development in a general way, but probably only a few realise the exact situation or the extent of. this evolution. It is felt that sufficient data. has been procured through the courtesy of Boston dealers to demonstrate something of this development. To illustrate this feature Bereral tables are quoted. The first shows for business of a concern which has operated the same ♦,et of storea for a number of years and caters for what may be termed a high-class clientele:—Evaporated 'milk 19116, 1832 cases, ten months 1919, 3487 cases; condensed milk, 574 cases—--1177 cases; confectioners, 288 cases—499 cases. This for the incomplete year of 1919 the increase in the sales of evaporated milk over the transactions of 1916 was about 90 per cent; for the condensed variety the dealings increased over 105 per cest., and for confectioners' milk 50 per cent. Had the comparisons been made with a full year of 1919 the percentage increase would be greater than quoted. The next table is based on the business of a firm operating a set of chain stores, and the information furnished by this concern clearly shows that a large part' of the community is depending on concentrated milk products and is employing them in increased quantities: Evaporated milk, 1916, 12,000 cases, 1919 48,500 cases; condensed milk 1916 18,500 cases, 1919 28,500 cases. On the basis of the 1916 and 1919 sales these data point to an increase of transactions in evaporated millr sales of over 304 per cent, and, with condensed milk of over 54 per cent. The receipt in Boston of evaporated milk and condensed milk, as shown by the records of the Chamber of Commerce of that city, are also of interest in this connection. It was impossible to obtain any facts as to the disposition or destination of these shipments, and it is offered simply as additional evidence of I the rapid increase in the sales of concentrated milk products: 1916, 762,446 cases; 1917, 880,072 cases; 1918, 1,237,647 cases, 1919 (10 months), 1, ! 847,264 cases. This indicates: an increase of sales of these products as between the transactions of the year 1916 and 1919 of over 116 per cent.

USE OF DRIED MILK POWDERS. The employment of whole milk powder for houseljpld use and as a substitute for fluid milk only recently commenced on a fairly large sale, and no figures were available to show the actual consumption. As a result of pushing this product a stable business is being established, which in the near future is likely to reduce the> demand for milk in its fluid state still further. Skim milk powder is more extensively used than that made from whole milk, and has been available in large quantities for several years. There is an extensive market for this type of powder, which is developing constantly. It goes mainly to manufacturing establishments, and regardless of whether or not it is used in the place of milk, the increase in sales of this commodity indicates its popularity with those who are able to utilise it. The following shows the business of three Boston concerns in this product for the periods indicated: 1910, 735,8091b skim milk powder,; 1917, 789,4571b; 1018, 913,5751b; .1919 (10 months), 1,021,5351b. On this basis the traffic in skimmed milk powder has increased 38 per cent., if the sales of 1919 are compared wjth those of 1916. It is, furthermore, an index of the large amount of this substance which is consumed in the United States, as the above figures only refer to one city, the city of Boston. The increased use of concentrated milk products in the city of Boston, as quoted by the previous figures, are remarkable, as Boston is one of the cities; in the States where fluid milk is cheapest, namely 9d per quart, as compared with Idi in Xew York, lid in

Chicago, and. 12£ d in Jacksonville (Florida), and were figures from those cities available it can be confidently anticipated the increase in the use of concentrated milk products would bo greater than in Boston. Consumption of concentrated milk products haa certainly come to stay in the United States and Canada, and the increased use will bo more rapid owing to the flow of population, which is at present from the country to the cities, and it is estimated that the 1920 census will show a very big gain m population of cities and towns, and a corresponding decrease in the rural population. No doubt increased use of concentrated milk products will take place in European countries. The decrease of cattle in those countries during the war has been very large and under present conditions a renewal of the herds to the old time standard is a very slow and difficult proceeding. The great shortage of concentrated feeding stiif, oil-cakes, etc., on which European farmers depend so largely, is a very serious obstacle in the way of speedy recovery. Before the war the export of butter from European countries amounted to 200,000 tons pel year, the bulk of which was taken by the United Kingdom. Of this quantity nearly 100,000 tons came from Denmark. For eleven months ending November,- 1910, the total quantity of butter received in the United Kingdom from these sam? countries was only 12,000 tons. The situation is still causing the authorities much concern, and it is feared there will be an actual milk famine. The butter ration, which has been ljoz. per week, was recently cut down to loz, the lowest it has been since the war broke out. Mr. J. A- Ruddick, in speaking to Canadian dairymen, said that while they had their grievances and had suffered from shortage of labor, they had after all been in a very fortunate position compared with other overseas dominions. In this respect New Zealand was greatly handicapped owing to the shortage of shipping space. At one time there was a year's output of cheese in store; their cheeße had been contracted for at 10Jd and their butter at Is 5d until August, 1920, and private shipment was not allowed. This was a real fixed price. AN INCREASED DEMAND, The demand for all kinds of dairy produets has greatly increased, and it is important that they be produced economically. In order that the quantity may bs large and the ■ production economical, more and better cows are needed. Every owner of dairy cows should establish a definite standard, and all cows that do not measure up to requirements should be disposed of. Whether a cow should be rejected or retained should depend on production as shown by the milk scales and the Babeolk test. There are now 472 testing associations operating in the United States, and the average butter-fit per cow in those associations is 2471b per anmim, or 50 per cent, inore than the average production of all the dairy cows in the United States. If all dairy cows in the United .States could be brought up to the Testing Association standard, production would be increased 50 per cent, in quantity and the cost of production would be considerably reduced. Large production and profits go hand in hand. Dairying is a business, and the dairy farmer, if he i 3 to be successful, has to watch all the details of his business just the same as the manufacturer, who has to make the milk into the various products. The one thing which influences the farmer's profit or loss more than any other one thing at the present time is the amount of butter-fat produced by his herd for the year. RETURNS FROM HERDS. Returns from herds and individual cows supplying milk powder factories operated by a company having eight factories in the States of New York and Pennsylvania should prove of interest to New ZSaland dairy farmers. The position was very fully and carefully investigated by the company, and it was found that in most cases that the farms showing the highest average Were the farms producing milk the year round, giving agood production during the winter months. During the year the company received 128,868,4241b. milk; their largest plant received 33,343,7031b,, and their smallest plant 6,669,8701b. At factory No. 1 there were 378, with 5393 cows; No. 2, 140 with 1870 cows; No. 3, 154 with 1550 cows; No. 4, 177 with 1957 cows; No, 5, 146 with 2234 cows; No. G, 296 with 3300 cows; No. 7, 406 with 4SOO cows; No. 8, 316 with 3040 cows. The average income per cow from factory No. 1 was £3l 10s; No. 2, £32 18s 6d; No. 3, £29 2s Od; No. 4, £33 9s; No. 5, £29; No. 6, £33 fls 8d; No. 7, £29 10s; No. 8, £3l 16s. The best herd at factory No. 1 was 54 cows, 66561b, milk per cow, 3.60 test, giving £4B 2s 3d per cow; *ind the worst herd 10 cows, 26981b. milk per cow, 3.75 teat, £l7 16s 4d per cow. The best herd at factory No. 5 was 14 cows, 66901b, milk per cow, 5.40 test, giving £63 17s 6d per cow; and the worst herd 12 cows, 18791b. milk per cow, 4.03 test, £l3 12s 6d per cow. The best herd at factory No. 8 was 8 cows, 89601b. milk per cow, 3.35 test, £6l 18s 9d per cow; and the worst herd 9 cows, 25001b. milk per cow, 3.7 test, £lO 18s per cow. In going over these figures it is found that certain farms show a very high income per cow, others have a fair average income, and there are some with a very low income. The farms with the high returns are without a question making a good profit on tjieir investment; the average producing' farms must be doing fairly well, but the low producing farms ipust necessarily be losing money. It is for the New Zealand dairy farmers to improve their cows, so that every farmc-r may make a profit on his investment, " and at the high prices at present ruling for land no farmer can afford to keep cows that do not pay for their keep.