FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1922, Page 12

FARM AND DAIRY

, BUTTER-FAT PRODUCTION. HAWERA RETURNS. Writing to the Star, Mr. J. R. Corrigan, of Ilawera, gives some interesting figures relating to the production of some of the herds supplying the Hawera factory. Herd they are: No. 1 farm, 90 cows (including 20 two-year-old heifers); average to May 31 2901 b per cow. No. 2 farm, 63 cows (including 15 two-year-okl heifers); average to May 31 2631 b per cow. No. 3 farm. 50 cows (including 15 two-year-old heifer?); average to May 31 2941 b per cow. No. 4 farm. 56 cows (including 10 two-year-old heifers); average to May 31 2601 b. No. 5 farm, 54 (including 10 two-vear-old heifers); average tor May 31 3431 b. Total, 313 cows; average to May 31 2701 b per cow.

ANTIPODEAN BUTTER OVERSEAS. BIG BUSINESS IN CANADA. Vancouver, May 8. Antipodean butter imported into Canada continues to attract attention in the Dominion and its popularity among the Canadian consumers is gaining daily, not only in British Columbia, but more particularly so in the Eastern Provinces, notably in Quebec and Ontario. In the latter Province, which is itself one of the largest butter-produc-ing regions in North America, the Antipodean butter importations have almost entirely depressed the local production. According to an announcement just made in Ottawa, over 5,800,000 pounds of butter were imported into Canada last year, an increase of more than two million pounds over the previous year, and a still greater increase over the pre-war average. Although New Zealand butter attracts the most attention, imports from Great Britain closely approach the New Zealand figure of over two million pounds. This unusual movement -from the British Isles wa? due to a rise in butter prices upon the New York market, which led to heavy shipments from the Old Country to the United States; | and a subsequent fall in New York prices, which caused re-routing of many I of these shipments to Canadian points. Although classified in the Customs | reports as British, much of the butter is of Danish and Irish origin, which indicates that Canada’s competitors upon the British market are now competing with Canadians upon the Canadian market as well.

Importations from the United States, however, have fallen away nearly one million pounds from the high record of the year before, with about two and one-third million pounds entered from that source. With the increase in butter importations, there has come an expanding decrease in the trade in oleomargarine. In 1919, almost six and one-half millions pounds of “oleo" were imported; but in 1920, importations dropped to a little over four million pounds, and during the past year the total was about one and a third million pounds, or only one-fifth of the volume of That consumed in 1919.

CANADIAN COW RECORDS.

Though from the outset Canadian dairy production records compared very favorably with those of all dairy countries there was nothing signal about them until ‘Rosalind of Old Basing.” a Jersey of Red Deer, Alberta, won for herself the distinction of being the champion milch cow of the British Empire. when the Dominion experienced the gratification of true accomplishment and felt justifiably proud. On a test conducted over three consecutive years her highest milk yield for one day was 52 lbs, for one month 1,471% lbs, and for year 15,700 lbs. The average test for butter-fat was 5.Rd per cent, and she produced in one year 1,031,89. The actual returns for cream and skim milk from this queen of cows in the three years was 1,007.50 dols.. which it must be remembered, was in a time when butter prices were very much lower than they are now and a thousand dollars had greater representative value.

This achievement stimulated Canadian dairymen to emulation and pointed the way to yet greater things. Later Bella Pontiac, a Holstein-Friesian. owned by T. A. Barron, of Brantford. Ontario, left the Alberta cow • behind and made a world milk production record under the official test of the Hol-stein-Friesian Association. Tn twelve months she produced a total of 27,017 pounds of milk; 1259 pounds of fat; and 1573.75 pounds of butter. This was far in excess of any world’s milk record previously set, though since surpassed. and entitled Belia Pontiac, for some time, to the title of the world’s record cow.

Now another Canadian cow has risen to fame setting a new Canadian record for combined milk and butter production which also, from the standpoint of strictly official tests, is a world record. This cow is De Kel Plus Segis Dixie of Vaudreuil. near Montreal, Quebec, which in 1921 produced 32,632 pounds of milk and 1439 pounds of butter. The test was conducted under the supervision of chief inspector C. S. Wood and R. S. Hamer, Dominion live stock commissioner. Neither in milk alone nor butter alone is Dixie’s record a Canadian one. but for combined production she is the first in Canada. On*y one cow has surpassed this record in the world, Segi? Pieterje Prospect, of the Carnation Farms, and this Was effected under imerely semi-official tests and not under j the eye of a Government official so that I the Quebec cow might with justifiea- ! tion clain; the world's combined butter .and milk production record.

I Since the Vaudreuil cow’s fine achievement a world record in another , class has been made by a heifer “Echo Sylvia Laura." owned by W. D. Wright of Brookville.. Ont., which holds the world’s championship for butter and milk production for a heifer with first calf. This young animal, born in April. 1919. in seven days produced 505.5 pounds of milk and 36.67 pounds of butter, and in thirty days 2230.." pounds of milk and 141.10 pounds of

DAIRY PRODUCE MARKET,

MESSRS. NATHAN AND CO. ADVICES. Reporting on the dairy produce market, Messrs. Joseph Nathan and Co. say: Butter. —The past fortnight has seen a sensational jump in. London market quotations. Cabling on ■ J ( une ’23, London quote New Zealand nominally at 224 s to 2305. This is purely a nominal price, as the London market is practically bare of stocksT. The Raranga commenced discharging on Monday last, and the prices realised for her shipment will be eagerly awaited. We understand that a few factories have accepted attractive offers for shipment? afloat, but the majority of those owning butter have decided to risk the market. This would appear quite a safe proposition under the circumstances, but , we note a tendency on the part of Home buyers to act cautiously, and not buy more than their bare requirements. One of the disadvantages of an abnormally high market is the “nervous” effect it has on purchasers, especially under the unsettled conditions prevailing in the United Kingdom at present. London reports that some of the Canadian factories are changing over to butter attracted by the high prices ruling as compared with cheese. In this connection a comparison of the prices being paid for Canadian butter and cheese at recent auctions may be interesting. Under date May 19, our Montreal agent reports cheese as realising H2 7-8 cents to 13 3-8 cents, against butter 32| cents to 34$ cents. This, we should say, shows rather in favor of buti " •.

Local: The price to retailers in the Wellington district is now Is 10d net. Cheese. —The cheese position is rather difficult to gauge. London quote white 100 s to 104 s. and colored at 96s to 102 s. The market is reported to be bare of stocks, and no very heavy shipments are afloat; but, still, Home ibuyers are very cautious, and are only buying from hand to mouth. We have heard of sales at Sd f.o.b. for shipments near at hand, but there does not appear to be very great anxiety to make purchases of goods in store. From indications, factories should be safe in leaving their cheese on consignment. We have all along had faith in the cheese position, considering the steady price maintained, being much more satisfactory in the long run than the violent fluctuations butter has been subjected to. Canadian on June 23 was quoted at 94s to 98s landed terms for colored.

PRICES FOR BUTTER FAT. > The phenomenal advance in the price of butter in London will be of great advantage to New Zealand producers, coming as it does at a time of year when prices were expected to be lower than when the first shipments of the New Zealandseason arrive, in December or January—the northern mid-win-ter. The New Zealand Dairyman has compiled an interesting table showing the average price paid for butter-fat during the last 20 years. It is as follows : Cheese Butter Factory Factory Price. Price.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN JERSEYS.

In the journal of the Department of Agriculture of South Australia tables are given setting out in detail the records of each cow in the Jersey herd belonging to Mr. Leslie Cowan, of “Dalebank,” Blakiston, each year, from 191'6 to 1921. This herd has been under official test by the Department of Agriculture since 1916. Ir commenting on the results of Mr. Cowan’s Jerseys, the dairy expert (Mr. P. H. Suter) says: “Looking over the records of 1921, the last record completed, it is seen what a wonderful return ha? been given in milk and butter by every member of the herd. Taking those on the third calf or over j er'od of lactation. covering the 273 days’ te?t in the year, we find that every animal has yielded so generously that the remarkable average of 46511) of butter per cow has been recorded during that period, a performance of which any herd owner in the world might well be proud. Expressed in £ s d., the butter being sold at Is 6d per lb, the herfl shows a gross return of £34 17s average per head over a 273 days’ milking period. The richness of the milk is exceptional, showing he high butterfat average of 5.4 per cent.

-Dairy farmers will be interested to know that dairy cows are bringing tall prices in England. The latest advices show that milch cows were making £57 in Northallterton, £57 15s in Stockton, and £56 in Wakefield and Worksop. Store cattle sold slowly owing to the drought. Best beasts made £44 to £46. The 42nd 2000-gallon British cow. and the 40th British, Friesian to achieve this distinction, is Mr. James RusseLSparrowycke Desire, whose per form an - constitutes a wonderful record. 80-’ on September 6, 1916, she has milkei’ as follows:—10,0051b in 1919-20. 1 calf, 14.237|1b in 315 days of 1920, 2n<> calf; 20,23551 b in 365 days of 1920-21. 3rd calf. One year after dropping her third calf she is still yielding over 401 b daily. It would be interesting to know if any cow at years old has produced more milk than this cow. She was by the imported bull Marsh General, now the property of Mr. William Carr, of Barnsley. The only British cow to yield 11 gallons per day. namely, the Hache herd's Brookside Col antha. is still improving upon her daily production, and 'her best yield in 24 •hours is 119 Mb, practically twelve gallons. Truly the milk recording movement lias made great progress in Great Britain.

Year (1. cl. .1901-2 9.25 9.80 1902-3 10.30 9.00 1903-4 9.50 7.89 1904-5 " 9.00 9.64 1905-6 1271'0 10.38 1906-7 12.82 10.96 1907-8 11.92 10.28 19OS-9 12.94 11.32 1909-10 105 11.16 1910-11 11.95 10.52 1911-12 14.59 12.16 1912-13 - 13.25 12.02 1913-14 _ . - 14.38 12.00 1914-15 18.38 13.81 1915-16 —. Z . - - 19.87 16.82 1916-17 19.50 17.00 1917-18 22.25 24.56 1918-19 24.62 19.11 1919-20 25.20 20.00 1920-21 29.37 33.00