DOMINION DAIRY PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 101, 27 January 1928, Page 12

DOMINION DAIRY PRODUCE

review by director of DIVISION NECESSITY FOR HIGH STANDARD INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE ON NATIONAL BASIS "Our grading figures for cheese must necessarily evidence a reduced percentage of ‘finest’ grade this season as compared with those of the corresponuiug period of last season. It is gratifying to not? a’ considerable reduction in the "cheese graded as seconds. .Much of our cheese has given good satisfaction to buyers. Our cheese, as a whole, are more uniform than those of any other country, and if we can make them all close in body wo have nothing to fear from competition.” Tho above views were expressed yesterday by Mr. W. M. Singleton, director of the dairy division of the Agricultural Department, in an address at a conference of dairy factory managers from the district using Batea as a grading port. "A recent issue of ‘The Grocer,’- a provision trade paper, published in London,” said Mr. Singleton, "referred to the excellence of quality of onr cheese then on tho market. Those would be last season’s cheese, and wore doubtless made last autumn. Last season, for the five months, August-December, some 5 per cent, of onr cheese were graded as ‘finest.’ Tho differential advance payment made by the Dairy Board seemed ft> inspire a special effort towards improvement in quality.' That influence is not in evidence this season. On the contrary a large proportion .of our cheese has been sold f.o.b. or c.i.f.. and some buyers at least have not differentiated in price between 'finest’ .and ‘first grade.’ It is Jcnown that some companies have under the circumstances, knowingly taken more latitude in the direction of supplying quantity irresmetive of some lowering of quality. Tils does not appear to be a good method of maintaining a satisfied cheese trade for New Zealand. Creamery Butter.

"The percentage of ‘finest’ butter this season, although showing some reduction, discloses a more satisfactory position. The season has been erratic, and variations in climatic conditions would naturally l» more manifest with respect to cheese manufacture than in the manufacture of butter. Further, the grading of cream and the compulsory differential payments therefore n’.nst have saved the general position very considerably. During the AugustDecember period (here has been a marked increase in the cream supply; and in a number cf districts this has been sufficient to make the more frequent collection of cream economical. Fortunately, there has this season been a slight decrease in the percentage of second grade butters. Whether this improvement can . be maintained throughout the hot weather is a ques*'°n‘ Butter Weights.

"About four years since we had serious complaints from the United kingdom re excess water in New Zealand butter,” continued Mr.' Singleton. “M e appear to have put a full stop to thosii and to have regained the confidence oi the butter trade in this connection. This season it is butter weights that is in question. We have been going into this matter of late, and we find that when the parchment is stripped from the block of butter it may weigh up to five or six ounces instead of the original weight of the paper at say four ounces. It would appear reasonable thn.t a retailer should bxpect a block of butter to weigh at least 56 pounds when stripped. We must have a minimum of 561 b. Goz. to ensure this, and 561 b. Boz., including paper, would probably lie the safer weight to aim at placing in the boxes. There are sure to be some under this, and some allowance so ns to alwavs have full weight seems justified.' We must not permit such conditions as win give wholesalers and retailers in Hie. United Kingdom’ the impression that New Zealand butler is not up to full marked weight. "Judging by reports from London and inspections on onr grading floors here, there is room for consi'lc r ahle improvement in our whey butter.” Dominion Farm Dairy instruction. "The last point to which Mr. Singleton referred was that of Dominion farm dairy instruction, which, he said, appeared to have been developed about as far as possible on the voluntary basis. There were many other dairy companies anxious to be associated in this service, but they were so small that it was >only bv linking up with other companies that tlie service was procurable. . "There had been during recent yenrs a great extension of the use of milking machines . and farm separators. Some supervision of the erection of milking machines was necessary to prevent the less conscientious companies ignoring the regulations find thus bv unfair competition forcing the better companies to do likewise. Dairyfanners needed such assistance as onlv farm dairy instructors could give, and it was honed that the industry as a whole would soon recognise that this service should be put on a Dominion basis. , "■Were this service on a Dominion basis," Mr. Singleton remarked in closing, “the blocking system could be adopted in a manner which would prevent as far as possible any overlapping of the travelling of' officers. The Department recognises some responsibility in the question of proper erection and goneral condition of milking machines and farm separators and is, I believe, prepared to help financially. .On the bans on which we are discussing this proposal it is not likely to cost the dairyfarmers directly more than 0.02 d. per pound of butter-fat. As an insurance premium this would represent a really good investment considering the cover it affords.

For the Feilding ram fair, to be held on the Show Grounds, Feilding, on February 2 and 3, commencing at 10 a.m. each day, excellent entries have been received from prominent breeders. Romney flock and stud rams will be sold on the first day; Southdown flocks and studs, Ryland and Shropshire flocks and stud Southdown ewes on the second day,