CASEIN FROM MILK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 314, 29 September 1908, Page 5

CASEIN FROM MILK.

A SUCCESTED INDUSTRY. WILL IT PAY? Ia there room for a casein industry in New Zoaland? In reference to this subject wo pointed out in The Dominion on July 18 tnat there was an increasing demand in various parts of the world for casein for uso in glossing paper, making ornaments, billiard balls, and imitation vulcanite for telephones, and for mixing durable oil colours for artists. If a casein industry . were established in New Zealand by' some firm ablo to pay the . dairy farmers good valuo for their skim milk, from which ,tho casoin is obtained, there would be an important byproduct added to the butter industry. A supplier to a buttor factory would, if ho received back the whey, obtain his incomo from (1) buttor fat, (2) casoin, (3) whoy. If, howevor, the whey were made useless. in the extraction of the casein, it would be a bad thing for the pig industry. The Financial Side. The subject is now receiving some attention in Australia. The "Sydney Daily Telegraph" gives some information on tho financial side as follows:— "The high price that casein frequently commands on the London markot has induced

the belief in some dairying districts of New South Wales that the establishment of a small factory for the manufacture of the product would provo a profitable investment. The comparatively small and inexpensive plant needed to carry out the operation of separating the casein from the skyn gives strength to the belief that success could be attained at a moderate outlay. The average prico realised in England for dried casein can be put down at something betweon £20 and £30 a fon. Its valuo fluctuates between these figures. During the past few years, oxcept for an occasional drop or riso outside the usual margin, the price has kept moderately steady, showing a gradual tendency to riso to the higher figure.; In 1904 casein brought £30 a ion, but this was followed by a drop. Since then, howevor, thero has'been a steady advance 'in. price. Thero seems to be an element of doubt in the minds of some peoplo as to tho success of the industry in Australia, : if started in the chief dairying districts on anything like an important .scale. Under existing conditions a largo proportion of the skim milk is fed to calves, and if this source of food fs taken away a substitute'would have to be found. The casein industry has now been firmly in the Argentino, but in that country dairying is a very secondary consideration, and does not enter to any great extent in the economy of agricultural affairs. There the skim milk is not required for the raising of calves. It appears that the industry is developing steadily in that country. There are several large mills operating in Buenos Ayres, besides a number of companies in different parts of the. country. The custom followed is to buy up all tho skim milk from a creamery. The contracts generally cover a-period of three to five years. The price paid is about a farthing a gallon. As it takes upwards of 7500 gallons to make one ton of casein, this represents something like a penny a gallon for skim milk, with casein at £30 a ton. After deducting freights, commission, and the usual trade charges, the net valuo of the milk is roughly three-fifths of a penny a gallon'. . The whey, after the casein is extracted, is fed to pigs, and according to all accounts they thrive well on it. The plant consists of a press, radiator, and drying room. The drying is done during the summer months by tho sun, artificial heat being used only 'in winter or wet weather."