DAIRYING. An Industry with a Future.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 284, 1 December 1898, Page 17 (Supplement)

DAIRYING. An Industry with a Future.

HE dairy industry has attained such proportions of late years that had reference to it been confined to some

short notice in writing of pastoral matters, but scant justice could have been done the subject. The dairy affords the first return from newly settled land, can be made the sole support of the small farmer, and is looked upon as a valuable adjunct to other branches on large estates.

Few would class any element of farming as aesthetical, although the contemplation of well cultivated land, or even of a fine herd of cattle or flock of sheep falls little short of being an aesthetic pleasure; but in dairy farming there is no element of beauty.

' The lowing kine wind slowly o'er the lea' is a beautiful sentiment calling up before the mind's eye a picture of a peaceful sunset scene dotted with cows and the smoke from the chimney of a pretty homestead in the distance rising in wreaths in the quiet air till it is lost in the blue of the sky overhead, even then passing into the greyness of evening. But the 'kine' in real life more often jig home with a none too quiet dog at their heels, whose antics are not to any extent curbed by the small boy whom he claims as master, and who is thinking of anything rather than the beauty of nature outside the oftentimes dirty road he is urging the cows along. Bailed up in the yard, the cow, no matter how contented it may be, or how it may low or bellow, is in too awkward a position to be a thing of beauty. It, is well that the industry is not. approached from a sentimental point of view, but, like other commercial pursuits, is on a g-ood paying- business footing. The history of tho dairy industry of the colony does not go back more than a decade. In using the term industry we intend to convey the meaning hereof the supply of markets outside purely local requirements. Prior to ten years ago, and about the time of the successful experiments with frozen

produce, cheese factories were started, but alt hough New Zealand was the first of the Australasian colonies to export dairy produce to England, she was very quickly passed by Victoria, where the new development was actively taken up, owing very largely to the way in which .it was fostered by Government bonuses. It is since the dawning of 1890 that dairying has become what it is in this colony. There has been an increase in the output of dairy produce since that year from £150,000 to considerably over half a million. This affords an indication of the progress the industry is making; and we have little hesitation in saying that almost equal progress will be made for some considerable time to come. New Zealand does not at the present time export butter in any-

thing like the quantities that Victoria does, chiefly owing to the way in which the Victorian Government bolstered up the export for some years; but New Zealand butter brings the lop price—commanding this year, perhaps, even a little higher than Danish. Also, New Zealand does not suffer from droughts such as are frequently experienced in Australia, and which last season resulted in practically no butter being exported from New South Wales and Victoria. Of late the whole butter of the Auckland province has been graded as first-class, while although from other parts a very high percentage receives the first-grade stamp, there is still a margin that is called second grade. The Auckland, butter tops the London market with other New Zealand brands. A great deal of the advance in the quality and quantity of New Zealand butter exported is attributable to the efforts of the Government •to assist the industry by the establishment of dairy schools in various parts, and the appointment of competent graders at the ports of shipment.

To come to some statistics with regard to the butter and cheese making in Auckland province. There are 96.000 cows set apart for dairying, and this number is being constantly increased by additions from the 110,045 steers

and heifers under two years old which the most recent return showed. Some years back there was-little effort on the part of farmers to breed with a view to increasing the milk production. The growing importance of dairying has to a considerable extent altered" this. Ayrshire and Jersey cattle have been introduced and bred, and are beginning to show their influence on the predominating strain of Shorthorn in our dairy herds. There are in all 21 factories in the province, and contributing to the supply of these 24 creameries. The capital invested in plants, buildings, and land may be taken at £40,000, while the wages paid amount to £6,000, and the value of the materials used to £40,000 annually. The output of butter is over £00,000*, and of cheese, which has

been exported in gradually decreasing quantities of late years,under £ 10.000. The plant now in existence is capable of dealing with a much greater quantity of milk than is at present put through, and a few years should show a great extension in the trade. At present the supply to the factories is only through the summer season. Considering the climate of the country this is a mistake, as to,maintain a fair quantity throughout, tjie winter the cattle would only need to be partially stall fed. Farmers no doubt recognise that it must eventually come to their having to provide the factories with an a 11-t he-year-round supply. This apparently they would be willing to do now could they use turnips in feeding their cows. The factory production of butter is practically in the hands of one firm in Auckland province. Among the essentials of success in such a trade as that carried on in butter is evenness of quality and reg-ularity of shipment.

It is just in these two main points that butter or cheese making on a small scale fails. For export operations require to be on a comparatively big scale. There is nevertheless a great amount of dairy produce turned out from private dairies in the province with regard to which it is absolutely impossible to obtain any fig-

ures. Here again the s.ime main rules hold good. The producer disposes of his butter in a certain direction, and eventually, if his article is even in quality, establishes a market. It is then necessary for him to regularly supply this market. If he fails in this he stands a big chance of losing what it has taken a considerable time to build up.

The Auckland dairy factory business is now far beyond its initial stages —may, in fact, be classed as an established industry. Farmers seem inclined to support the factories with regular supplies of milk # and all conditions point to an extension of an industry already affording a .livelihood to considerable numbers. There is a big field for high-class butter at lOd. alb. wholesale. It may safely be said that the prejudice that has marked the introduction of all descriptions of frozen.produce is passing away rapidly enough to so increase the field open that a larger output will not necessarily mean lower prices. .