MILK PAYMENTS ON A FAT TEST

Golden Bay Argus, Volume XII, Issue 47, 21 April 1910, Page 4

MILK PAYMENTS ON A FAT TEST

• The Dairy-farmers' Co-operative Milk Company, New South Wales, has made a new departure. It has decided to pay ' suppliers on a fat test basis.. The eotnpauy's reason for this step is' to improve the general fat quality of milk suppliel for city distribution, and to give better pay to the producers. Theie could be no more direct way of enlightening the farmer as to the value of his herd, pud proving to him the wisdom of culling out the unprofitable cows. The. system is conducted as follows: —A sample of each supplier's milk is taken each day, aud the fat tested weekly. A general average is taken for the month of all the milk secured by the company, as well as of individual suppliers. The average of the total milk supplied will be taken to represent the 1 tiling price or standard price, according as their milk is above or below the average of the whole. Suppose, for instance, the general average test of all the suppliers is 3.5 per cent, and the price fixed by the association at 6d per gallon, any suppliers whose milk averaged that test for the month would be paid that rate. The supplier whose milic di i not come up to the average test —say only went 3 per cent. —would be paid less than 6d per gallon, while the supplier whose milk tested 4 per cent, would be paid more then 6d. A chart is; being prepared, and the company will thus arrive at the right basis of payments. On a basis of 6d per

(gallon the value will vary about ! i-:6d for every i-io per*cent, of fat. The system is entirelyiiew in Sydney. At the' present .time-the supplier who sends iu milk below the standard of, 3.2 per cent, gets the same rate as the man who sends in the; richest milk. As this company is a co-operative concern, the supplier as a shareholder is protected to the extent that he can inspect the books, and see that, he is being paid for all the milk sent in, He is iu this way able to know exactly how he stands with the company. It seems probable that this system will be started by sothe of the northern dairy-farmers.' of New Zealand at an early date. .. : j_