FARMERS’ UNION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 July 1925, Page 8

FARMERS’ UNION.

Fit A SEE ROAD BRANCH

(From Our Own Correspondent)

On Monday evening the first- of a series of lectures by well-known breeders of various types of dairy cattle was -given, the speakers being Friesian breeders, Mr. H. E Johnson, ol Tokaora, and Mr. Marchant, of Cardifi. Other lectures to follow will be- given by Jersey and Ayrshire fanciers. The point at -issue is: Which breed is best suited by quantity-and. quality -uJ milk for tlie production of cheese Y That the question is pertinent at the present time is very evident by the great effort put forth, -by Messrs. Johnson and. Ma reliant. The proposed laboratory of dairy science to be established in Hitvvera also gives point to this. Mr. Johnson pleaded that he. was no- orator. But when a man has something to say, it is said well: and Mr. Johnson heid his audience no than Mr. Mnrehant; for they both had plenty of good things- to isay about' their favourite- “black and whites.”

Mr. Johnson opened by giving; the history of the Friesian in New Zealand. Its good points are constitution (a- .necessity' to production) docility, and freedom from disease ; while its size anti easy' fattening in winter make it an asset when beef is wanted. Then he- began on the question of the breed’s excellence -as a cheese producer. He quoted figures taken from Taranaki fnc. tories to show that- the low testing milk is advisable for cheesemaking, for it gives the better body, whil e the higher the fat test the- lower is- the ratio of cheese. A big point here was made of the re.coonmdation of the Control Board delegation, which toured the world, to- the elFect t-lmt New Zealand cheese was too rich in fat and that that standardisation was necessary. He deprecated the- idea of standardising, because of the temptation to indulge in corrupt Ipractlioesj, and said that the laboratory would aid in a, fair solu’Eion as to the proper test for best cheese. Personally Mr, Johnson favoured the idea of paying out on the basis of what the- milk was used for. Touching upon the quality of cheese many interesting reports from Home were given; and it seems evident that the New Zealand cheese is not just what is wanted. It was startling to hear that Canada is our most serious rival ui the Horn© market, and that 80 to JO per cent, of Canadian cattle are Friesians.

Mr. Merchant supported Mr. Johnson, and he made- th e statement that of the 1330 cows with a year’s total of 100 lb. of butter-fat 106 are Friesians. lie read verbatim many' reports of visitors from the Dominion to .Britain, all men of -high standing who made enquiries about New Zealand cheese on the spot, all of whom declared that the cheese when cut -p for the retail trade did not present an attractive appearance. This fault arose from the exudation of fat on. the eqt -surface making it hard, because of the over-rich milk used in its manufacture. The point is: Do we know what we ought to be making p One member present caused amusement by T telling of a certain two per "cent, cheese which was served out and never detected from a full cream cheese —and this by a company of cheese- makers. The answer seems to be not in standardising the milk, hut in breeding the cow that will give th© desired cheese with quantity' and proper quality. And the Fries, iari, it was contended, does both. Thus did the two gentlemen lead the meeting to a point of conviction. Still the- question is an open one-, and they were quite willing for others to take the field. The branch is looking forward with interest to the next meeting, and our best thanks were given to both, speakers at the instance of Mr. A. L. Campbell, who took the chair in the, absence of the president, Mr. L. A. Jennings.