BUTTER-FAT TESTS

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18672, 22 April 1926, Page 10

BUTTER-FAT TESTS

AND CHEESE MANUFACTURE. (TRESS ASSOCIATION TELIGBAV.) STRATFORD, April 21. At the annual meeting of the Taranaki Fricsian Breeders' Association; tho tollowing resolution was passed: 'With a view to following on the recommendations made hy the Control Board delegates, and the other authorities on their return from abroad, thb branch of the New Zealand Fr'iesiau Association deems it very advisaMo that a conference bo called of Friesian, Shorts horn, and Ayrshire breed s<*.-ieties for the purpose of discussing the steps necf-ssary to combat the present method of paying out on a butter fat basis for the manufacture of cheese." It was explained in the discussion that high tested milk had a greater proportion of butter fat. but the higher the test, the less proportion of solids necessary for cheese manufacture. AUCKLAND MARKET. o 18PNCIAI. TO "THE FRESS ") AUCKLAND, April SI. Potatoes—The exceptionally favourable season has produced a remarkable change in the local position, which is probably a record, for there is now every indication that local supplies will last well into May. This is not only due to much heavier crops obtained by farmers from their later planted areas, but householders are much in the same position, as their planting is usually done at tho very time to suit the peculiar weather conditions prevailing During the [ past summer some suburban residents have obtained wonderful yields, and will therefore not require to buy any for months, whereas very early lots around Pukekohe and neighbourhood gave a very poor yield. The value at Pukekohe this week is iC to £6 10s, according to quality. Onions —These are slightly easier, as the advance expected in the south did not materialise. Small consignments are beginning to come forward, and the quotation is 14s to 15s ex store. Oats—Southern shippers are beginning to meet the lower Canadian cost now that they are assured of good crops, and merchants will be ablo to accept recent offers instead of bringing down further supplies from Vancouver. Prices will remain at 5s 9d ex store,' or 5s 6d ex ship. Chaff—The market is short of Blenheim chaff, bat a good deal has been arriving from Adelaide, and this is selling at lis in sacks. Quite a good demand is also reported for compressed chaff in bales at 'los, of, which ample supplies are held here. Little local is offering, of which the quality varies a good deal. The best is worth £9 at country stations, and is being, taken where railage can be saved.' Hay—The quality varies s good deal this season, and prices range from £6 to £7 at country stations. Wheat —A sharp rise in Australia of fourpence to fivepenco haa followed the movement in Chicago, and this is reported to have effect on the local price of fowl wheat very shortly. Bran and Pollard—The demand has increased a good deal lately on account of the dry weather keeping back the pastures. Maiie —Local is arriving, from the Bay of Plenty only in moderate' quantities, and is- realising 7s 3d on wharf in wholesale lines. BURNSIDE MARKET. (FBESS ASSOCIATION TILEGEAII.) DUNEDIN, April 21. At Burnside to-day there were good yarding* all round.- Sheep and fat cattle cheapened. Fat cattle—There was a yarding of 370, complied with 330 last Wednesday. The yarding, consisted of bullocks from very fair to prima quality, with a moderate sprinkling of prime cowe and unfinished steers.,' The sale stated late and rates for bullocks eased by, fully 10s at the opening, and the sale closed with value*B from 5s to 10a per head cheaper than last week. Prime handy weight ox beef was worth from 40s to 42s per 1001b, medium quality and heavy weight ox to 405,. prime heifers to 325, cows and light heifers 20s to 22s 6d; extra prime bullocks to £l9 15s, prime £ls to £l7 10s, medium £l3 to £l3 10s, light from £lO, prime cows and heifers to £ll ss, medium £6 10s to £B, light from £i. Fat sheep—There was a yarding of about SSOO, compared with 2538 la«t week. The quality was-good and mora fine wool sheep than usual were included. A big number of fair to prime ewes were forward, but prime wethers were numerically satisfactory. Prices were irregular and there were some passings. Prime and heavy sheep were on a par with laet week's; medium were back Is 6d per head, while ewes receded from 2s to 3s 6d. Prim* handy weight wethers ranged, from 6d to Bid per pound, heavy weight' and medium quality wethers to sd, prime ewes 3Sd to id. The prices were: A few extra prime heavy wethers to 41s, heavy wethers 37s to 38s 6d, prime 34s 6d t0.365, light prime 30s to 32s 6d, freering wethers 38s 6d to 80s. ' Lambs—There was an entry of about '6OO. The quality was good . and the lambs-were well grown. Prices were not dissimilar to last week's. Graziers were bidding fairly I freely for suitable sorts. Prices: Prime heavy 29s to 81s 6d, lighter prime 26s 9d to 27a 6d, unfinished 22s 3d to 24s 6d. Prime lamb sold on a bisis of B}d to 9}d per lb. { Store cattle—There was an overflowing yarding. Forty head of forward three-year-. old Hereford cross steers were in the entry, which was mainly comprised, of well-condi-tioned cows and mixed cattle. Competition was good for all well-bred steers offering. Forward three-year-olds realised from £ll 17s to '£l3 7a fid, very fair from £9 10s to £ll, good one and a lalf-year-olds £4 Ss. Cows were practically unchanged. I * Pigs—There was a penning of 167 fats and sixty-three slips. . Baconers were 5s up. PorkeTS were firm at last week's rates and stores advanced slightly. Baconers sold at 8Jd $ to 9d, and porkers 9J.d to 10d per lb. LONDON SHARE MARKET. (ST CAIIJt—ERISS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIBHt.i IUraTBALIAH AMD H.Z CABLS aSSOCIATIOIU LONDON, April 20. Bank »f\ Australasia, £l3 10s 7Jd j Bank of New South Wales, £3 15s; Union Bank, £l4 5s 74d; Bank of New Zealand, guaranteed stock £93, shares £2 19s; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile, debentures £72 10s, ordinary stock £96. THE HEMP MARKET. The hemp market continues to decline, and it is daily becoming a more difficult matter to find any buyers at all. One of the largest American manufacturers of cordage, writing under date March 12th, remarks: "We have had further breaks in manila, prices having gone down three cents per lb, and. it is almost too unsettled to quote. Shippers have resisted the downward movement for some time, but. have now thrown up their hands, and want business on almost any reasonable reduction in prices. Buyers seem to be thoroughly frightened, and with slow business in manufactured goods they are looking for a general reduction all round and carrying as little stock as possible, having in mind the immense losses of lifeo." It is fortunate that most New Zealand, millers have followed the practice of contracting, as it enables them to stand a siege, when a depression liko the present one sets' in. They cannot, however, stand for more'than two or three weeks longer without selling further quan- ' tities. and it is to be hoped that in the ' meanwhile the market will have taken a turn for the better. DANISH BUTTER. Owing to the p-ogress which colonial butter is making in public favour in the United Kingdom Danish butter producers propose > to pack their produce in half-pound and - pound packets, as practised by some of the New Zealand dairies, ' and an expert committee has been appointed examine the beat methods to meet competition on the British markets. The increase in the German tariff has greatly interfered with Denmark's butter trade with Germany; and if, as is expected, the American duty on imported butter » raised from eight to 12 centa a lb the ffleet will probably be to I divert •to Great Britain supplies of New . Zealand and Australian butter which, in the ordinary coarse, would be shipped to the. United Stales. This development is feared in Denmark as likelyl to' have a' fur- ' ther detrimental influence upon the demand for Danish butter in the United Kingdom.