THE DEPARTMENT EXPERIMENTING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 2

THE DEPARTMENT EXPERIMENTING.

The feeling of tho duiryfariners toward tha question of pastciirisiiiK skim-milk and whey at the factory, before it is returned to tho suppliers to feed their pigs ami calves, would, no doubt, if a plebiscite could bo taken, bo found to bo strongly in favour of the movement. The conviction has gained a hold in recent years that slock troubles may bo frequently spread through the medium of tho whey and skim-milk which aro brought homo from tho factory. Two questions have stood in tho way of a general application of pasteurisation to tho two'byproducts concerned, namely its effect on their food value, and its cost. In regard to tho fording value, investigations have generally shown that no loss of value results from pnsleun'sntion, but that, on tho contrary,, tlio freedom of tho stock from infectious disorders is greatly increased by it. Some important findings may bo expected from a report which will bo 'issued in duo courso from tho Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture on somo investigations on the subject which havo been officially carried out this season in New Zealand on this subject. Tho investigations were mado at cbeeso factories on whey, and their object was to ascertain the cost of pasteurising. Tho Division undertook the work m response to tho interest,in tho mat™r wiat has been shown by dairyfarmers. ino Government officials, however, wore not tho first in the field, for at two or thrco factories tlio process was already in operation, fn tfioso instances it is said" tho enterprise is.regarded .as successful, tbo farmers assorting that tlio food valuo of tho whey has peon increased, and that their pigs' havo thrived better on pasteurised whey than on tho whey r:rw. . Tho question of cost has yet to bo gono into; Although farmers aro not likely to iifiree with Dr. Frenglcy that "tho valuo or_ whey is practically nil," yet it is concoivaulo that the cost of pasteurising might »o so great as to ronder tho .not valuo nil. On this point tho carefully-recorded conclusions of tho Dairy Division will bo welcomed. Tho report should bo available in time to be acted upon for next soason. If the report bo generally favourable, it should stnmilato tlio trade in pasteurisers ' Similar experiments will bo officially conducted with skimmed milk.