LOW-TESTING MILK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 224, 21 September 1932, Page 9

LOW-TESTING MILK.

RESEARCH IN TARANAKI. LOWGAETH CHEESE FACTORY. SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday. The conclusion that low testing milk is more profitable for cheese making is held to have been confirmed for the Lowgartli district by two experiments conducted during the last factory testing period of 11 days in October (beginning), and 10 days in April (end of the season), by the Lowgarth Co-operative Dairy Company, Central Taranaki. The practical experiment was conducted to determine: (1) The relative quantity and quality of cheese made from low testing milk compared with cheese made from high testing milk; (2) the respective payments the two classes of cheese should return to suppliers. No Difference in Quality. The results, summarised, are stated to be: (1) No difference in quality of high and low testing milk cheese, either in New Zealand at grading or in Loudon when sold. (2) Prices obtained were respectively: High testing 63/6, low testing 63/ in the spring period; both 01/6 per cwt in autumn period. (3) Average tests and yields per pound butterfat were: Spring period, high testing 4.35 per cent, 2.571b cheese per pound butterfat; low testing 3.58 per cent, 2.741b cheese per pound butterfat; autumn period, high testing 5.12 per cent, 2.501b; low testing 4.29 per cent, 2.011b cheese to pound fat. (4) True earnings per pound of fat, after allowing each milk its true manufacturing, costs were: (a) Spring period, high testing 14.46 d per pound butterfat, low testing 15.07 d—difference O.Old in favour of low testing; (b) autumn period, high testing 13.92 d, low testing 14.24d — difference 0.32 d per pound butterfat in favour of low testing. /Grading. The grading points of the cheese averaged 92.72 in each case. The grader reported that apparently cheese from high testing milk created a better impression than that made from the low test milk. .The Dairy. Board's London agent, Mr. Wright, reported that from a commercial standpoiht it was doubtful if there was much difference between the finest and first grades,- taking the line as a whole. Flavour was very uniform and sound, although not showing much maturity.. On. the whole the high test cheese had a body a little smoother and more fatty than the low test cheese." Financial Returns. ' The returns from the first experiment on the financial aspect show that low testing suppliers —on the present accepted basis of paying on butterfat cohtcnt alone —earned 0.305 d per pound which was paid to suppliers of high testing milk. Similarly in the second .experiment of, .this latest test .as to the financial aspect, low testing suppliers earned O.lOd per pound fat, which was paid to high test suppliers. Taken together, high test suppliers were paid 0.23 d or :id per pound fat, which actually was earned by the low test suppliers over the season.