BUTTER-FAT TESTS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18722, 19 June 1926, Page 16

BUTTER-FAT TESTS.

- tr 1,1 DISSATISFACTION EXPRESSED. (rSBSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) PALMERSTON N.,. June 18. The revival of the: old controversy of the insufficiency of the Babcock .test for Butter-fat contests, as applied particularly to milk for cheese-making, was the cause of a ..conference at the Show Grounds to-day. The meeting..was attended by representatives of .theiFriesian, Ayrshire, and Milking Shorthorn Associations, who decided to await the results of the scientific investigation to be conducted near Hawera, to determine the relative values of Jersey-, Ayrshire, and Friesian inilks for: cheesemaking, and to ascertain over the whole season, the average number of pounds of cheese made from one pound of but-ter-fat derived from the milk of the various breeds.

Tlie experiments are being carriedout under the auspices of the South Taranaki Dairy Federation.. The: herds chosen'for the test are those of F. Mills (Ayrshire); H. E. Batten (Jersey); and L. E. Johnson (Friesian), . the pastures of tho farms twing similar., Mr W. It. Wright, of Rahotu, Hamilton ; described the present' system as dishonest and degrading to owners of high producing but low testing herds, and quoted figures showing that the lower the butter-fat test the greater the yield of cheese per pound of but-ter-fat, and the greater the gain, to the 1 factory in pay outs, of which, however, high testing owners reaped an unearned reward. Other speakers, while not supporting all of Air Wright's statements, declared that inequality existed and sought a I remedy. Mr W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division, said that so' far they had not evolved a test for casein which could be put in the hands of a'factory manager as satisfactory as the existing, one. _ A committee comprising Messrs F. Mills (Hawera), W; •R. ■ Wright (RahotuV D r j t McLowan (Auckt •)' 5;..'7" ar chant (Cardiff), and I'. J. Wild (Feildine);; was set'up to draw up data from the Hawera results ana _ report to a conference' in one tuna,-