WAIKATO DAIRY FACTORIES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2642, 18 June 1889, Page 2

WAIKATO DAIRY FACTORIES.

A MBKTIXG of those interested in dairy factories was held oil Saturday evening at Mr Reynolds' (senr.) house, Trecarne, Cambridge West, at 7.30 p.m. Mr Henry Reynolds and Capt. Pitt, of the well-known firm of Reynolds and Co., who have numerous buttpr factories in both the upper and lower Waikato, attended to discuss the question of the milk supply for the forthcoming year, which commences in September. There were upwards of twenty of the leadinsr settlers of the district present, among whom we noticed Messrs T. W. Hicks, R. Reynolds (Pukerimu), Kilgour, Scott, Day, Harris and others. Mr H. Reynolds said they had met together to discuss a new code of rules that Reynolds and Co. intended adopting at the whole of their fac'ories, and also to discuss the question of winter feeding to produce a supply of milk, good both in quality and quantity. He then proceeded to road the roles, commenting on them, as follows :— No. 1. " Each supplier shall deliver pure, sweet, unadulterated milk, strained and cooled immediately after milking." They had hitherto done without coolers in this district, but now they were considerably cheaper, the complete apparatus being only 50s, and he strongly urged the suppliers to use them. No. 2, "Should any accident occur to the machinery, plant, or appli ances, such as to necessitate the cessation of the ordinary work of the factory, the proprietors shall, with all speed, proceed to have the same repaired and the factory reopened ; but during such cessation the proprietors shall not be liable to take delivery of milk, or pay for the same." They did not anticipate any breakdowns, but had inserted this as a safeguard. No. 3. "No milk which does not yield an average of S per cent, of cream will be received, 10 per cent, being the basis for calculation. Oneeights of a penny will be paid for each 1 I per cent, of cream over 10 per cent., | being deducted for each 1 per cent, below 10 per cent." It was only right to deduct as well as add. It did not pay to take milk under 10 per cent., but they bad determined not to refuse any that was 8 per cent, and over. No. 4. " Prices of milk to bo as follows September, October, and November, 2.M per gallon of ; December, January, and February, 2.1 d ; March, April, and May, June, July, and August, 3.U1. In all cases 80 per cent, of separated milk to be re turned." With proper feeding there was no reason why the suppliers should not got a good roturn ; during the past month several suppliers had exceeded 15 par cent., which brought them 3Jjd per gallon. No. 5. "No milk to bo brought to the factory from any cow that has not calved at least a week." That had been altered to fourteen days. No. (i. " Milk to be delivered at the factories not later than 8 30 a.m., except where suppliers have to come over two miles, when the time will be extended to 9 o'clock." No. 7. "No cows used for factory purposes to be allowed to eat turnips, rape, or food that will in any way taint the inilk. Any supplier, knowing one or any of his cows to have fed on these to refrain from sending such millc to the factory." No. 8. "The Saturday night's and Sunday morning's milk, and that of tho morning of each statutory holiday, and the evening proceeding tho same shall always be kept by the producer." No. 9. "Each supplier to send the whole of his milk to the factory with tho exception of what is required for his own uso." This is a rule that must be carried out. It is not fair to keep a portion back and make butter, when tho price is high. Mr Bridgman : Have any of us done so? Mr Reynolds: No, and we wish it to be distinctly understood that it must n>t bo done. No. 10. " Payments will bo made monthly, on or before the 20ih of each'month following that oil which milk is received." No. 11. " We, tho undersigned hereby agree to supply milk according to tho above rules." Here follow spaces for names of suppliers, and the number of cows they intend milking for the factory.

Mr Reynolds said the firm had gone very carefully into tha question of the price tliey could afford to offer, and at the present stage they could not give more. According to the present outlook, they would have to depend upon the English market for the Australian one was glutted. lie wished they could give a better price for the milk ; the farmers, however, would know which payed them best, supplying milk to the factory or rearing stock.

A discussion ensued as to the separated milk, and eventually Mr Trewiti offered to take the hit at a Jd per gallon, which was at once accepted. He also offered to "farm out" piers for those who wished it. Mr Reynolds then called upon those who intended supplying milk to subscribe to the rules, and nearly the wholo of those present- cheerfully signod the document. The result will be that somo hundreds of cows will be supplying milk for the factory.

Mr Reynolds impressed upon the suppliers the necessity of keening up the supply the whole year round, if they wished to make the venture a success ; which they promised to do as far as lay in their power, some of them remarking that it would take above twelve months to get their cows to come in at the right time to keep up a full supply the year round. The best method of keeping up the winter's supply of milk was then discussed. Mr Gane said to keep up the supply jf milk in the winter, there was a very great improvement required in the method of feeding; the present style had too much labour connected with it to make it pay. Mr Reynolds thought oaten hay was the best. He did not think maize ensilage improved either the quantity or quality of the milk. Mr Trewin said maize ensilage was no good; he had tried it, and found his cows did not givo any more in quantity or quality. Mr R. Reynolds said it was no use making ensilage of food that would not make good milk before it was put in the silo. Mr Gane stated that his grass ensilage was soft and tainted the milk. An English fanner that had visited him said it was because he had not put sufficient weight upon it. Mr T. W, Hicks said Mussrs Reynolds taking the prize at the Melbourne Exhibition was a clear proof that green oats was the best feed for milking cows, for the butter was mndoat. the l'ukekura factory, and at that, time all tho cows were being fed upon thein. When his cows had been fed upon green oats they averaged 10 per cent, of cream, and gave three gallons each per day. A7f acres paddock of oats had returned him between £25 and £20. Ho fenced off a part of the paddock and put the cows in twice a day ; the remainder of the day they were running in a, grass paddock.

Mr Gane said he found Cape barley improve both the quantity and quality of the milk, but it was of slow growth.

Mr Allen said the great advantage of green oats was that they did not taint the ir.ilk and thereby damage the butter.

Mr R. Reynolds thought ensilago was grand food if mixed with crushed corn, lie believed it would pay to feed cows, pigs, and even sheep and cattle with grain at 3s lid per bushel. He did not think.mai/.e any good for ensilage ; it must be a crop that you could cut with a reaper and binder. He advocated cutting the crop into chaff as it was brought from the paddock, and put it direct into the silo ; it could then be cut out with a spade when required, and the crushed corn mixed with it. That obviated stroking. Mr Gane said a friend of his spoke very highly of a plant called "planter's friend," which lie considered far preferable to maize. Mr T. W. Hicks said he had put a quantity of maize in, but the caterpillars took it in April, and it was quite useless. Mr Scott had noticed that the sugar in maize turned to acid when placed in the soil. He thought the more of it he gave his cows the less milk they gave. Mr T. W. Hicks thought nothing would beat an early crop of oats—for which the land was well adapted--and then a crop of green oats. Mr R. Reynolds expatiated on kohl rabi as a "good food for milking cows, but those present appeared not to know much about it. Considerable discussion ensued as to the properties of tho various feeding stuffs, and the result was not advantageous to ensilage, hut rather in favour of green oats. It will be seen by an advertisement that Messrs Reynolds and Co. moet their Patorangi milk suppliers at the school-room this evening, at 7 p.m.