AUSTRALIAN BUTTER

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 130, 3 June 1937, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN BUTTER

OUTPUT REDUCED

Miv L. T. Maclnnes, Director of Dairying, New South Wales, addressing factory managers in Sydney recently, referred to reduced output of butter. Abnormal conditions operated during the period from April 1, 1936, to March 31, 1937, the last good 'producing year being 1934-35, when the output of factory butter reached 62,570 tons. In 1935-36 it fell to 53,180 tons, and for the period up to March 31. 1937, there had been a further decrease. These reductions had been due to dry weather arid under-feeding, and to the disease called "ephemeral fever." ' The decrease in production between the July-December figures for 1934 and 1936 represented a loss of £1,250,000 to the dairy farmers. These losses were controllable to a large extent by the conservation of fodder surpluses, by improved pastures and soil renovation, and by growing more crops. ■ , ' The decrease in the. nine- months ended March 31, 1937. compared with the same period in 1934-35, represented a loss to the farmers of £1.669,710, equal to about £100 each. To this had to be added losses from stock and supplies for whole" consumption, conctsnsing, and cheese-making. , .•