THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1309, 12 December 1911, Page 8

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

THE SEASON AND THE OUTLOOK. In reviewing the present dairying seasou, so far us it has progressed, , the phenomenal features of the position present a striking 'contrast to previous, years, and these are the points which call for particular attention. The following ideas are reproduced ' alter consultation with-an expert-who has his finger.on the dairy pulse- of New Zealand. ; The All-Important Consideration. •

- To -tho producer the all-important consideration is the financial rosi'dt. Will it bo best for tho - product) to k> sold f.u.b. or would it bo more' advantageous to consign? This is, the .question that ha,s to be settled by ,the factory directors each year, because of tho want of any cloar and definite policy as to the disposal'of the goods:-Naturally, without'a (policy this difficulty is an'annually recurring .obstacle,- and- to ; the board of a factory is a'problem that'frequently occasions much anxious ' thought and sometimes many sleepless hours. "As a "rule tho producer, whichever plan he elects .to follow, usually obtains something within the legion of the full value of the produce. In commenting' on the. season's operations so far, there is no intention of advocating either oue system or the other, but to state actual "facts. When the time arrived for arrangements to be made, it was. generally assumed by those who are supposed to know what dairy produce would be worth eight mouths ahead (a somewhat, speculative problem to say the least of it), that would turn out a ''consignment Jedv."" 'lndication's, were not wanting that.this opinion was" based on. reliable information. However, mtiiiti a short, period the' unexpected -happened. The Northern Hemisplipjewns visited by a wriou.s drought, and supplies were consequently •materially decreased and a considerable shortage anticipated. Offers to biiy'were then made by a few firms for.butter at IOJd. f.o.b. At this-price some business was effected' lnces gradually advanced until ' hHiwator mark was reached at lljd. f.o.b. Uieeso was also in demand, and-contracts were made at s|d. until the highest figure ■reached vas-B&d. f:o.b. To-day-the Nbw Zealand dairy farmer stands iii the enviable position of receiving the highest value for his produce in tho history of .tlio industry. . A striking commentary on tile-pessimistic utterances of some of the leading public men 15 years ago, that in ten years' time the United Kingdom would bo unable to take the surplus of tho Dominion's export if it developed to any extent. ' .

Bright! Hopeful! Promising! To-day the prospect has never been brighter, more hopeful, or more full- of promise. ■-■• Notwithstanding the high prices offered and accepted, several factories decided to risk the market on their account, and are shipping to London on open consignment. Tlid results, as shown by account sales, will be eagerly looked forward to. Judging from present returns to hand, the e.s. Rotorua's shipment of butter realised from 133= to 134s < per cwt, and cheese from 635. 6d. to per cwt. This means for butter rather more than Is. Id. f.o.b. net, and'eheese nearly .6Jd. ... There is a bright side to the picture, But it has also its compensating balance. ini.s consists or its adverse conditions, some of which' are bsyond our control.

Tho Darker Side. To complete the review a brief reference to the darker side niay not be out of place.. To-day we are within a fortnight of the longest day of our year, practically midsummer, and up to the present there has been no summer and no real spring weather. Probably for "ho last fifteen years, there .has been no spring similar to that experienced this year. Throughout the dairying districts of the southern portion of tho North Island, and to a great extent in tho South Island also, the climatic conditions bavo been wet, cold, and boisterous. The pastures have suffered in consequence, snd tho growth has been retarded. Naturally, the milk supply shows a considenbln shrinkage, and this is confirmed by the tntal exports. to the United Kingdom. Taking this season's exports, aud'enmpann? them with the corresponding period of last year, the decrease, is 5(5,000 boxes of butter, equal to 1400 torn-. From this shrinkage there must,'of course, be deducted 1 the quantity, seht to the' West Coast of America, but even When that is taken into account it does not materially alfect tho point at issue.' Cheese, on the other hand, has increased by nearly 15,000 'crates. Kow,. if lib. of butter bo allowed for 2-Jlb. of; cheese,. there is still a decrease on our total shipments. Supposing there eoiild have been recorded a normal increase of from 15 per cent, to 20 per cent., it would have meant an-increase-of capital tn the Dortiihion of from to .81/OCO.gOO.' ..'" V ; Question of Winter Feed. A

However, blame i.i not altogether, .attributable f.ir tlii's shortage to climatic conditions, there is an important lesson to be adduced therefrom for the dairy farmer. . May ho take it to heart "at once, and amend in the future. It is .fliis: The mortality this year amongst dairy herds coming into profit has been far above the average. Cows have .per-, ished this year by the .hundreds through; sheer inability to fulfil flip demaads'reniiir'ed of therp. If Natifro unassisted failed fo provide sufficient nutriment at a critical period-to keep the machinery working, then the owner should have nrounder such conditions ample food to give liim a mofit and not a dead loss. The'question of supplying/winter feed .for cows bccomeVyear by year, oricof'paramount importance to the dairy farmer. It is without.doubt the question of the hour. IS'ot.cnly is it incumbent upon him to provide a ■ plentiful supply of food to carry bis ,'herd "through -the. winter in good condition, ,bnt also, a re--serve stock to tide over that .'period of-tho year, such as we have had tills season, viz.. an early growth with a set back,until the grass comes forward in ample eu'pply to meet all demands; If the losses incurred this year tbrousfl , . .want of foresight drive homo this lesson alone, tire financial loss will bo money well spent.