A BIG SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 138, 15 June 1927, Page 17

A BIG SCHEME

ISJf RESEARCH COUNCIL PROPOSES

INSTITUTE OF DAIRYING

PROBLEMS FOR INVESTIGATION

Once the Scientific and Industrial Research Council ivas set up under the Act of 1926 little time was lost in getting to work, and results already.:achieved haverbeen such as to, cause general satisfaction throughout the country and have given rise to a feeling of confidence in the new scheme for organised research. As indicated by the statement made by the Prime Minister in May of last year, extracts from which are quoted in another article, particular attention has been devoted to. the, dairy ing industry, and before very long a definite programme of work will be under toayi with greater things to follow as more finance and more men become available to help on the work. The whole of the dairy industry is vitally concerned in the question, and evidence that the efforts of the Department are appreciated has been provided by the action of the Dairy Produce Control Board in contributing £3000 towards the cost of the work. It is anticipated that £6000 will be spent on furthering the cause of dairy research in the next twelve months:

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, has drawn, up a comprehensive programme of work, and' if it is able to carry this out to i a successful conclusion it should have something really tangible to show for the first year of its existence. The Government having decided to proceed in the first place with the establishment of a Dairying Institute > at Palmerston North on the ultimate site of the Agricultural College, the council is naturally devoting close -attention to this phase of the work, and important proposals are embodied in the general scheme which has been drawn up. The keynote of, the whole /scheme is the harmonising and co-ordinating of efforts which are at present being carried on rather spasmodically in various

parts of

rroreszor W, KxMet. c QUntry; | The whole secret of successful research work is unity of effort, and it is the hope of the council that it ;WiH be 'successful in ensuring this very desirable eifd. Under ; the old order of things laboratories in various rural "centres carried 6n independently of each other. This has teen fairly satisfactory so'far as the solving of local problems has 'been concerned, but to a great extent the efforts have been wasted, as there has been no agency for the exchanging of ideas. In this way much valuable information has been wasted. At Hawera, for instance, various Dominion-wide problems have been tackled. , Some have been solved and many have been: brought a stage nearer solution, but the fact that the work has been confined to fine centre has meant "that, the industry as a whole has not benefited to, anything like the extent it might have done had there been one mairj central research bureau. IN. A NUTSHELL It might be well at this stage, in order that the reader might follow more intelligently the subsequent explanation of the scheme, to give the proposals in a nutshell. The scheme, i'or the sake of convenience, ma>^ be considered in the following manner:— National Dairy Research Laboratory (Palmerstori North). • (a) Chemistry and physics section. (b) Bacteriological section. (c) Factory section. (d) Other dairy problems. District Laboratories'. ' | (a) Hamilton. j (b) Hawera. i (c) Others as may be established., Dairy Research Management' Committee. ■ Three members of the Dairy Board, representing tin; dairy industry. Two members of the Agricultural College Council, representing education and research interests. Two members of the Agricultural Department, representing routine and regulatory interests. Two members" of the Research Council, representing research and co-ordination. Functions of Institute. (1) Research into fundamental and scientific problems affecting the-industry. (2) Elucidation of the more complex problems arising at substations. (3) Co-ordination of. scientific results with technical application. (4) Co-ordination of New Zealand researches with those done overseas. (5) The investigation and development of factory and general, manufacturing technique. , Functions of District Laboratories. (1) Regulating routine examination of dairy produce from adjacent districts. (2) Preparation of starters and standard chemicals, cultures, etc., for contributing factories. . (3) Investigations into local problems, either independently or in co-operation with the National Research laboratory. (4) Maintenance of contact with field officers of the Dairy and '._■ Fields Divisions of the Depart- - ment of Agriculture. DETAILED PROPOSALS. In further explanation of the genferal scheme, it may-be well to give details of the proposals, placed before the conference on dairy research organisation,, - held towards the end of last April. This conference was attended by the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates), the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. 0. J. Hawken), representatives of the | Dairy Produce Board, representatives of the Department of Agriculture, representatives of the Agricultural Col-

lege Council, and- representatives of the Research Council. The following proposals were submitted to this (Conference as a basis of discussion: —

"The Research Council, in its capacity as a co-ordinating body^has formulated a scheme to deal with dairy research, and; its connection' with the education work of the University, the administrative work of the Dairy Division, and the routine work of the dairy factory and farmer. The Council would emphasise the great desirability of such a co-ordina-tion as the scheme proposes, so that farm, factory, regulatory, educational, and research activities may go on hand in hand. The scheme involves a plan of give and take as between the various bodies which might desire control of the national research laboratory, and while securing for the actual research work that degree of non-interruption that will help to make its work' effective, will not permit it to become a thing aloof from the actualities of farm and factory. In brief, the suggestion is to build research laboratories and a dairy factory to be staffed by research workers under a management committee of representatives of the various interests. The committee will act through a director," who might well be also professor of dairy science in the University. The clerical work and local administration of the laboratories to be carried out under the direction of the director, using the college office staff by arrangement with the college authorities. . . . On_ the Management Committee of the Dairy Research laboratory will be re^ presentatives of; all interests, whose desires will be given effect to, through the medium of the director of the laboratory, to the staff of the various sections under his control. It will be part of his duty to see that these sections co-operate in all phases of tne actual "research "Work, and, further, to act in conjunction with the outside field, organisation throughout New Zealand.

Those students from the college with a particular bent and aptitude for dairying work may be drafted as research assistants to the research laboratory. This will maintain a close relation between the college and the research laboratory.

"The research laboratory Management Committee will advise the Research Council as to the grants required for the conduct of the laboratories, and these grants will appear in the estimates of the Research Council. It is anticipated, and the scheme is based on the assumption, that the Dairy Produce Board will contribute half the annual cost of running the central laboratories. TrfE FACTORY. The factory will be run on such lines that it wrll serve all the purposes of the factory originally proposed by the dairy division for establishment at Wallaceville. Its place in the scheme wilt allow it to fulfill a wider sphere of usefulness in its connection. with the neighbouring sections of activities. Between the factory and the officers of the Dairy Division the closest possible co-operation should be maintained. If considered necessary, a liaison officer of the Agricultural Department might be stationed at the laboratories to deal with the routine inquiries,, not involving research,. received from field officers. iTHE WORK CORRELATED. "The work of the research laboratories will be correlated with that of the staff of other branches of the Agricultural College, with the district laboratories, with the research ' work • done in animal nutrition, top-dressing, etc., carried out by the Agricultural Department, Lincoln College, Cawthron Institute, and such other institutions as may be carrying put work in any way connected with dairying (e.g., Professor Malcolm's work oh food values at Otago, physi-cal-chemical work on'casein, etc.). "The district laboratories are designed to deal with local and regulating problems as they arise, and will be a useful means of keeping the research work prominently before the factory managers and farmers. The more difficult problems arising locally will be referred to the national research laboratory for solution, making use of its more costly apparatus and materials. Conversely, the research laboratories may, for example, by mutual agreement make use of the sub-stations to verify and confirm some of the experimental conclusions which have been reached.

"Until the central research laboratories are established the sub-stations can be utilised for all research problems, and then, when the central laboratories commence operations, there will be an immediate set of problems to attack."

In the main the proposals of the.i

Research Council v.'ere adopted, and steps are now being taken. to put the scheme into effect. Professor W. Riddet, of the Auckland University, a gentleman who has already devoted considerable attention to research problems, has been appointed director of the Institute of Dairying, and applications are now being called for other important positions. The fact that.the : necessary buildings are not yet erected has not deterred the Research Council from making a start, and until such time as the buildings are ready men appointed will be engaged at such stations as those -which have been established at Hawera and Waikato. Here they, will be able to make a start on the many pressing problems which are facing the dairy industry. Of the multitudinous nature of these prob- j lems the average layman probably knows little. A FORMIDABLE LIST, The following list, . prepared by the Research Council, will give some idea of the work which is awaiting those appointed to the central research laboratory:— • Cause of cheese milk not acquiring acidity. Effect of pasturisation on cheese mi}k and its relation to the cheese body. -..' : ■■'.:[ '•.■-' •■■'■• .\"\ ' .

The,factors of'most importance in clean milk products in New Zealand; The application of special arorria producing.bacteria to. New Zealand butterrmaking. . : . The relationship of fat content of milk to yield of chqese and: dried milk; " ;j •' ;. ' '■'■. ' ': ■'■'•

The manufacture of dried buttermilk.- ■',""': •.•'■• : ■"'.; '.•■ ; ■ '-■■ •■■ .'.-•■' ■

Changes undergone in dairy produce during storage, with special reference to existing methods. The processing and distribution of city milk.

Value of milk fr,om, various breeds of cows for cheese-making. ' ■

Keeping qualities of cheese :from; various milk. ,

Flavour of New Zealand export butter—research into a partial return to the use of cultures, particularly str. oitrovpriis. ;

Mould in butter—research into relative values of parchment lining versus paraffining inside of boxes. Flavour of cheese—use of str. paracitrovorus and local types of lactic bacteria. ■ '

Cause and elimination of non-acid milk;

Mould on cheese—paraffin as a preventative. . Cool-curing of cheese—its flavour effects, and relationship to open texture, of New Zealand cheese. 1 ;

Rancid cheese—cause and prevention. ■•■■'■ • :.;■ :. I

Mottled ■■ cheese.

Cracked rinds in cheese—research into New, Zealand methods of pressing cheese. .

Cheese press fat. ■ Work on the biological flora of New Zealand butter in relation to quality, with special reference to yeast,; and' mould contamination after pasteurisation and .before shipment.

Biological flora of New Zealand export butter and cheese in relation to quality. :. ,- . ; Work-on iron and copper content of New Zealand export butter and cheese, in relation to quality.'

Elimination of feed "flavours and their relation to quality in butter and cheese: (a) immediately after manufacture, and (b) after two months' storage.. ,

A study of the* bacterial flora of milk, with special reference to the troubles that occur on.the farm and in the factories.

Study of the casein and fat ratio in New Zealand milk from various districts, and possible effect of various pastures 1 on this ratio.

A study of the total solids and fat ration of. New Zealand milk.

A study of emulsions, with special

reference to the breaking of the emulsion of fat in butter-milk—with a view to recovering some of the fat lost in butter-milk.

A study of cheese-curing with special reference to: (a) moisture content, (b) fat content, (c) biological flora and content, (d) controlled temperature, (c) humidity during curing, and their effect on flavour and shrinkage. A study of cheese-curing in sealed containers: (a) under vacuum and (b) under ordinary conditions. The cause and prevention of fishiness and caking in milk powder, with special reference to: (a( moisture content, (b) acidity, (c) heat treatment before drying.

The cause, and prevention of tallowiness in whole-milk powder, with special reference to: (a) acidity, (b) moisture content, (c) fat content, (d) heat treatment before drying, (c) homogenisation, (f) age of milk before drying. t '

The manufacture of water-proof casein paints arid glues., ■" The effect of various quantities and types of fertilisers on the mineral content of pastures, and the relation of this mineral content on milk yield. ;

A study of the effect. of location and pastures on the melting point of butter-fat. •■'■"'.-' :

SPECIALISTS ALL

In- tackling these problems, officers of the Dep'artmeht.of. Research will be devoting themselves' purely to questions of outstanding importance to the dairy industries. It is not intended that highly-skilled men will be used for the solution of merely routine: problems,■"• such- as- crop up almost daily'in various factories. The Kernel of the whole scheme is to make Palmerston North the main centre around' which everything else will move. .It is riot to be thought

that the scheme will mean the elimination of institutions which are at present carrying on very valuable research operations. To mention just two, the Cawthron 'Institute at Nelson and Lincoln College in Canterbury, are' at present engaged in endeavouring to solve/difficult problems, the solution of which would be of untold value to the Dominion as a whole. Cawthron Institute, for instance, is making a specialised

study of the question of soil survey; Lincoln College is engaged in attempting to solve special problems in relation to cereals. To. do anything that would prevent these two institutions from carrying op with their work would J)e a fatal mistake, and the Research Council fully recognises this. Indeed, it is-the aim of the council to extend this work as far as possible, at the same time taking steps to ensure that the work of. both institutions is co-ordinated with that carried out at the central laboratory at Palmerston North.

sion) grade cows arc tested. The farmers do their own weighing and sampling and forward samples taken from milkings on two out of every thirty days to a testing officer. , In the 1925-26 season 59,345 cows were tested under the system,-the use of which costs the farmer from 2s to 2s 6d per head. Another system is carried on by dairy companies,.and in 'many respects this is similar to the Association system. The essential difference is that the factory man-' ager does the testing instead of the officer, of the Department. Under this method 5204 cows were tested during the 1925-26 season at an average cost per cow of Is Bd. GROUP TESTING. The group system is' the most widely used of all, and at is to this method that special attention will be paid in the present article. For' the purposes of the'-'system, groups of not more than 28 farmers are formed, and all the ■ cows in each , herd are tested. A testing officer visits farms for on« day in each month, and does all the weighing and testing of the whole season. In the 1925-26 season 86 groups were established in New Zealand, and 105,222 cows were tested at an average cost of 5s per cow. The brief summary of the various systems would appear to indicate that the greatest possibilities for the extension of herd-testing lie through the group system. In 1923 there were six groups in operation dealing with 7500 cows; in 1925 there were 91 groups dealing with 100,055 cows. And testing under the system continues to grow in popularity. None of the other, systems have shown any marked tendency to grow rapidly. Cost seems to be a deterrent in many instances, and further the difficulty experienced by the average farmer to weigh, sample, and despatch the milk of many of his cows is a great stumbling block. ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES. While on the subject of herd-test-ing generally, it might be welMo de-

of testing can satisfactorily fulfil all these three requirements. •

IMMENSE POSSIBILITIES.

Dealing with the immense possibilities of herd-testing, Mr. Hume said: "We have the foundation stock, and; given the necessary organisation, our dairy industry; can be made the envy of our competitors. And what really are we doing—very little. Taking the Dominion as a whole, it is found that in the 1924-25 season, 12.7 per cent, of the dairy cows were tested, representing 151,875 cows out of 1,195,567 cows in milk. The figures for the 1925-26 season are not yet available, but indications point to no increase-on the previous season. (Actually, there was-a decrease.) This is most disappointing when it is considered that every 101b increase in the New Zealand average means an extra £1,000,000 to Doininion dairy farmers. And what does it mean to the Dominion as a whole? By raising our average to even the 2501b standard would represent an additional 801b of fat per cow. Even at Is 3d per pound this would bring in an increased revenue of at least £7,000,000 per annum , without increasing the number of cows in milk and without any appreciable increase in expenses."

TWELVE POINTS.

Mr. Hume summed up the advantages of herd-testing in the following manner:-— . ' ,'• . H

(1) An intelligent interest taken in each individual cOw. (2) More thorough milking. (3) An ambition to have better

cows. (4) Better treatment for the cows through better feeding, rugging, and shelter. (5) Better, conditions at the milking shed. (6) A pride taken in the care of the milk.and cream resulting in increased grading points by the factory. . . . ' (7) ■ More supply to the factory. (8j Keeping the separator, and