THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 16, 13 October 1927, Page 17

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

ITS VALUE TO THE DOMINION GREATEST CHEESE-PRODUCER IN THE WORLD A circular which, has just been sent out by tho New Zealand Farmers’ Union to its branches throws some light on the value to the Dominion of the dairying industry In order to provide butter for her many millions last year (states the circular) Britain imported A‘48,289.354 worth from the following countries:— r , Value.

In 1925. Britan imported £53,204,417 worth of butter, whilst in 1924 her but ter account amounted to £49,047,492. Tn 1920 her cheese account from all sources totalled X 13,937,742, made up

The total dairy produce imported into Britain in 1926 totalled XG2,227,096, of which this Dominion’s share was aE1,666,310 or nearly 27 per cent, of the whole. "From the above figures.” proceeds the circular, "it is seen that New Zealand is the greatest cheese producing country in the world, and second, greatest in butter production, but notwithstanding our present favourable position there must be a naticna-l attempt to increase our dairy production ner dairy farmer, ner acre, and per cow. This increase in production can be hastened by (1) better breeding. (2) better weeding, and J 3) better feeding. If should be the, aim of our dairy industry to secure a bigger shore of the 62 million prize than what it is receiving nt present: if this Dominion does not do so some other foreign rival will. Herd Testing. "To. encourage more herd testing which will assist (he dairy farmer in the more intelligent culling of unprofitable cows and stimulate an incentive towards improved breeding, the Government has decided to grant .£BOOO for one year with a view to decreasing tho costs of this work to the dairyman,” continues tho circular. .“The assistance given to any organisation is to depend on the services that that organisation renders to testing for dairy farmers, but will not exceed Is. per cow for group testing or 6d. per cow for association testing. A small board will bo set up to go into the claims' of the various organisations tor assistance, and this board will advise the Government as to how the grant should be allocated amongst those herd testing associations that apply for it. Only those organisations whose work is considered satisfactory are to participate, and no payment will be made in respect of cows under test for less than 150 days. The number of herd testing associations operating last year was 232, and (he number of cow K under test was 171.461, an increase of about 2000 on the previous year. Under the association method of testing, the charge is 2s. fid. per cow per season, whereas ss. per cow per season is charged if tested under the group method.

Cwt. X , 1,906,495 17,166,480 New Zealand . 1,255,439 9,607,459 Australia . 1,161,238 5,759,695 Argentine . 484,503 3,859,248 Irish Free State .. . 403,111 3,835,067 262.291 1,924,185 186.591 1,556,870 Netherlands 150,442 1,330,281 Sweden 154,072 . 1,327,190 Canada 64,394 508,853 , • 30,996 239,149 U.S.A. 11,843' 36,350

thus Value. Cwt. £ Now Zealand 1.497,471 7,055,710 Canada .... 1,055.092 4.649,926 Netherlands ... W91 849,279 Italy 141.218 679.812 Australia 40985 224.290 U.S.A 13,199 62,112