STILL OF VALUE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 138, 15 June 1927, Page 21

STILL OF VALUE

SUBSIDIARY STATIONS

WHAT THEY ARE DOING

TARANAKI'S FINE RECORD

As has been indicated elsewhere in the present edition, the establishment of the Dairying Institute at Palmerston North will not mean the elimination or even the discouragement of institutions which are at present being carried on in various parts of the country. Evidence of the valuable work which is being accomplished at these stations is provided in a report dealing with the operations of .the laboratory at Hawera during the last season.

The period covered by the present report is an important one, in that it constitutes the first complete dairying season in which;the laboratory has been in existence (says the report). Scientific assistance for the dairy industry may now be considered an established fact in Taranaki, and the» federation can take pride in the fact that it has been the pioneer in a movement which is now recognised as a necessity for the whole of the Dominion. There is also good reason for pride in the fact that the federation possesses one of the best equipped laboratories for dairy work in New Zealand, and that the results achieved have attracted considerable attention outside our own particular territory. A winter course of six lectures in dairy bacteriology was held for the benefit of managers and assistants. In accordance with the policy of the federation to disseminate scientific knowledge as widely as possible, arrangements were made to address the suppliers at a number of annual meetings. Lectures were, delivered by the scientist to several farmers' unions, and an invitation was also accepted to deliver an address at the National Dairy Association Conference held in Wellington. Lectures on subjects of scientific interest to dairymen have also been given, by request, at each of the Managers' Conferences held at Patea and Moturoa. INCREASE IN WORK. The most striking feature of the present season, commencing Ist July, 1926, has been the great increase in the work handled by the laboratory. Whereas less than 2000 samples were received for analysis during the portion of last season when we were equipped for work, over 5500 samples of milk, cheese, and other dairy products and materials have been received at the laboratory for analysis, and the number will certainly exceed 6000 before the close of the season. An estimate of the actual number of analytical operations performed upon these samples is difficult, but, probably, not less than 16,000 results have been determined and reported in connection with the samples received. Since the beginning of the season 1328 samples of milk have been received for grading. A number of factories have derived benefit from a regular examination of all their suppliers, and I would be pleased to see this practice more widespread. The striking improvement in quality achieved by the grading of cream for butter-making is a sufficient vindication of the principle of grading, and, as we all admit that most manufacturing difficulties arise from defects in the raw material, we see at once that good is bound to result from grading the milk for cheesemaking. From grading results, a manager is able to make a more intelligent selection of starter milk; and farm instructors are able to concentrate upon those suppliers most in need of their services. FAULTS IN MILK. Samples of milk received for the purpose of discovering the cause of some specific fault number nearly 250. This serves to emphasise my previous remark that most manufacturing difficulties arise from defects in the milk supply, and is a powerful argument in favour of universal grading of milk for cheesemaking. The present season has been an abnormal, though variable one, in regard to the solid constituents of milk, and 91 samples, many of. them being composite samples of factory supply, have been received for chemical analysis, with special reference to the percentage of casein. Samples for examination in regard to contagious mammitis have amounted to 1251 during the present season. This indicates that the presence of the laboratory has been valuable to the individual farmer by giving certain knowledge regarding udder trouble, and by assisting prompter action in the case of those animals haying the contagious disease. The chief trouble this season has been a widespread occurrence of "non-acid" milk, and many factories have had, at various times, a number of their vats affected. As a result of much research into this problem the cause has now been definately established and proved to be rod-shaped bacillus which rapidly neutralises the lactic acid of the starter culture. This germ has its origin in certain types of cow manure, but may be introduced into the milk in largo numbers either through breeding in the machines or utensils or through imperfect cleansing of the cow's teats and udders prior to milking, or through direct invasion of the teats when the cows frequent swampy places

and cover their udders in swamp mud impregnated with the bacteria. Sometimes, also, the milk, when drawn and on the stand, may be contaminated by dust, dried mud, and dried manure blown by a favourable wind from infected ground. Throughout .the season the starter culture service has been maintained for federated factories, and nearly 200 cultures have been supplied during the present working period. This has been a considerable convenience to managers, and must have been a contributing factor in assisting them to improve the quality of their output. Supplies of decinormal caustic soda solution have been, on hand in any quantity at the laboratory throughout the season, and have been supplied free of charge to all managers requiring it. MILK'VALIJS. The research instituted by the federation into the values of the milks for the Jersey, Ayrshire, and Holstein breeds for cheesemaking has been proceeding smoothly at Tokaora since Ist September, 11926. Up to the present over 1500 cheeses have been manufactured from the pure milks of the various breeds, most of these being of the standard export size and the remainder mediums. Over 600 crates have been exported already, and full records are being kept of details of manufacture, grading returns, and of reports on quality and value from the London Committee. Simultaneously a comprehensive programme of analytical work has been followed by the laboratory upon daily samples of milk, whey, and cheese ever since the inception of the experiment on Ist September last. Up to the present over 1700 samples have been analysed for. the content of fat, casein, and total solids in the milk; fat, proteins, and moisture in the cheese; and fat, casein, and total solids in the whey. Records of quality in regard to the milk have also been • kept. Altogether the total number of analytical operations performed upon the products of the various breeds is at present in the vicinity of 9000. These figures will constitute a unique record of cheesemaking statistics under New Zealand factory conditions, and are, as far as we know, the first and only records of a similar nature to be compiled in this country. Especially valuable will be the figures relating to the casein content of the various milks at different times during the season. Even if no finality is reached in the so-called "Battle of the Breeds," the Tokaora research will have justified the expenditure of the money by reason of the unique statistics which it has furnished the opportunity to compile. METALS FOR DAIRY WORK. At the request of the National Dairy Association, some experiments were conducted upon the suitability of certain samples of chrome steel for cheese vats. Similar experiments had already been performed upon the alloy known as monel metal, but results were unsatisfactory, as appreciable dissolution of the metal took place, accompanied by pitting. At the same time, the material dissolved is known to have highly deleterious effects upon dairy produce. Experiments upon the chrome steel, however, were much more encouraging, and justify the belief that, provided certain difficulties in regard to soldering or welding can be overcome, dairymen may yet obtain a lining for cheese vats which will be just as suitable but much more durable than the ordinary tinned steel. OTHER MATTERS. At the request of Vacuum Products, Ltd., the federation has agreed to test the value of vacuum packing in metal containers for export cheese. At the request of certain companies tho laboratory undertook some experiments into the utilisation of the white whey and fat draining from cheese presses. Relatively small quantities of press drainings were collected, separated and treated, and churned into butter in the laboratory, using a small hand churn. Results were very encouraging, and a larger scale experiment was planned. By the courtesy of the Hawera, Riverdale, and Normanby companies, the press drainings, under sanitary conditions, of two days early in February were collected and separated. The cream was taken to the-Normanby factor", mixed with an equal volume of ski m milk, and again separated. This process had the effect of removing a considerable measure of the saltiness of the product, and also largely absorbed the characteristic flavour. The cream was then neutralised, pasteurised, cooled, and churned, and, from one 25-gallon can of cream over two boxes of butter were made. The whole of this was sold locally, without difficulty, at Is 2d per lb. During the present season several companies have been troubled by a low yield of. cheese per pound of butter-fat, and, in at least two cases investigated, the trouble has been found to be due not to loss of cheese but to incorrect tests, made abnormally high by the excessive use of potassium bichromate as a preservative.