CHOICE AND FRESH.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 19391, 17 August 1928, Page 12

CHOICE AND FRESH.

DANISH BUTTER IN ENGLAND. [THE PBEES Special Serrice.] AUCKLAND, August 16. The efforts being ihado by fanners and factories in Denmark to produce butter of the very highest quality and to have it landed on the English markets in first-class oondition greatly impressed Dr. W. Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital; who has returned from a nine months trip abroad. ■ After a short tour m Denmark, during which he inspected many farms and dairy factories, Dr. Gilmour said he realised the Danish product would always seriously compete with the New Zealand article and deservedly so. He was given special facilities in Denmark because he joined a delegation representative of the Scottish Grocers' federation, which toured the country at the invitation of the Government of Denmark. "I was impressed with the wonderful development of the co-operative .principle," he said. "Farmers seem to take their instructions from the central authorities, with a result that the products are very uniform in quality For instance, there .is a certain type of feed for fowls used all over the country, the consequence being that the Danish egg is uniform. "They go to any amount of trouble in Denmark to deliver pure dairy produce,''. Dr. Gilmour continued. "However, I firmly believe butter made in New . Zealand is better than butter made in Denmark 'as consumed in the country of its origin. Every care is taken to see that butter for export to England arrives on the markets in, a, fresh and wholesome condition. One innovation that goes a long way to gain the favour of sellers and buyers is the stamping of the churning date on the boxes. They are building up. their industry on quality, and do not; seem to be troubled by any depreciation in prices.' "I was told by one or two people whose, opinions: must be respected that New Zealand butter in England waß suffering from having no preservatives in it," Dr. Gilmour said. "They stated that once it left cold storage it tended to depreciate in quality very rapidly. I was unable to go - further into the matter, but this- is certainly a question that requires careful watching or New - Z'ealand butter ' might quickly lose its fine reputation." ~ Dr. Gilmour said he wished to mention one point which he considered has not been sufficiently emphasised in the. past.: Farmers in New Zealand could , keep their cows on pastures all the year round, with a result that the milk: contained vitamiaes all the year round. . When animals : were stall fed, such as in Denmark, the vitamine content was considerably reduced and often eliminated altogether.. The result -was that .New. Zealand butter must .often contain more vitamines than tfce Danish product. "I had a very .amusing experience in a little Tillage in Scotland," concluded Dr. Gilmour. '"There;' was only one supply shop in the village ' and the Scotsman in charge waß a firm believer in supporting .Empire produce. He kept-New Zealand butter and fruit only in case. the people asked for the Danish article."/ . ' '■ '