PATEA’S EXPORTS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 January 1927, Page 8

PATEA’S EXPORTS

DISTRICT DAIRY PRODUCE. ADVANCE IN QUALITY ADDRESS BY GRADER, Details of particular import to dairymen of South. Taranaki were given, in a paper read by the dairy produce grader, Patea (Mr hi. C. Wood) at the annual conference of provincial factory managers on Wednesday. “It will be generally admitted that up to the present this season has been most favourable' for milk production, and bids fair to equal, if not excel, the 1924-25 season, which established a record for dairy production throughout the Dominion,” said Mr Wood. Continuing, he gave the grading hgures for the Patea eool stores for the period August to December, inclusive, c'nnng the past three year’s, as follows:

“On a- butter-fat basis this season’s production shows an increase of approximate! 2 per cent, over the 1924 season and 6.8 per cent in excess of the quantities graded for a similar period in 1925. A most pleasing feature in connection with the present season’s operation ta-s been the marked, improvement in quality, more particularly with regard to" the decrease in the quantities of second grade produce. “Climatic conditions hare probably assisted dairymen and factory managers in this respect, but in addition there has been a general effort by dairy companies and the managers in an endeavour to improve as far as possible the quality of produce. The comparison oi the grade averages with those of the corresponding period of last sen-son will be of "interest: Cheese. Percentage Percentage Average Ist grade 2nd grade, points.

(Finest 1926 only. “Of this season’is produce 43.3 per cent of cheese and 25.9 per cent of creamery butter has been classed as Quest quality. Cheese Quality.

‘‘At the commencement of the season 17 out of a total of 45 factories were making cheese from unpasteurised milk, but during the period pasteurising plants have been installed in. five factories, while it is anticipated that a further three factories will a 1 so be pasteurising early in the new year. Of the five factories referred to, on© bad not commenced forwarding cheese made from pasteurised milk prior to December 31. The grading averages, for the four factories since pasteurisation commenced, compared with a similar period of last season, will doubtless be of interest : 1925. Percentage Percentage Average Ist grade 2nd grade. points.

“No. 2 factory had the misfortune of having to deal with slow working milk during December, and which resulted in a quantity of sweet open and mottled coloured cheese being made, thus the percentage of .second grade is higher than would probably have been the case otherwise.

“Jjoos.' and open texture was one of t]ie defects in the spring cheese, this fault debarring a quantity of cheese from being classed as finest. Cheesemakers are well aware that in order to qualify as finest grade all cheese has to he: worth, a minimum of 2SI points for body and texture. Pasteurisation Benefits. A good deal of openness was tine to lack of sufficient acid, and there was a, general tendency towards, .sweetness earier in the season. We gained the impression, that in some instances the openness developed considerably after the cheese were shelved. Salting the curds rather .soon and having to deal with faulty milt no doubt accounted for a certain amount, of loose and open cheese. The body of the spring cheese was generally about right, while the flavour of most pasteurised • s was satisfactory. There has been .some improvement in the flavour of unpnsteurised cheese, less cheese being classed as second grade on account of faulty flavour. Rancid flavour is a frequent fault noticeable in odd vats of unpasteurised cheese consignments during the carder months of the season, and the particular supplv of milk which imparts the rancid flavour to the vat of cheese is difficult to detect on the receiving stage. Providing the: temperature of the milk while being'heated in the pasteuriser receives due attention, it can be generate accepted that rancid flavour will not develop in pasteutisd cheese.

“During this season one factory which has been pasteurising with success for a number of years had to refrain from pasteurising on one day owing to some trouble in the factory, and t-lie cheese made in four out of the five vats in use were rancid in flavour. This experience was certainly unique owing to the abnormal high percentage of rancid flavoured cheese, but it emphasises’ the benefit of pasteurisation in preventing the development of rancid and other unclean flavours. Cheese made from imp as ten ri seel milk are generally smoother in body, there being an absence of greasiness and butter ,sacs frequently noticeable in cheese made from unpasteurised milk. It is freely admitted that pasteurisation is not a cure for nil the troubles which confront the cheese-maker as a result of a faulty milk supply, but the writer is convinced ns a .result of 17 years’ experience of the quality of the dairy produce from South Taranaki that pasteurisation of milk for cheese-making is practically essential to ensure a* cleaner flavoured cheese of grand keer>in« qualities. Finish of Product.

“Non-acid milk, the bug-lwar of all cheese-makers, has been delivered to some factories this season, the (resulting cheese being sweet and very open, and where colouring has teen used the colour of the cheese was badly mol tied “Slimy milk has also been n o' idenco. and some cheese made from milk of this nature were found to he leaky. The department’s London officers have reported in very complimentary terms on

the quality of some of the finest grade cheese shipped this season, and credit is due to the managers and .suppliers of those factories which have been able ~o export cheese of this quality. “A very important feature in connection with’ our cheese is the finish and appearance of the article. Progress aiong lines of eliminating the deep lip on the cheese has been slow, hut it is satisfactory to note that mere effort in this direction has been made this season. The bulk of the factories have now discarded the old hoops with deeper inner sections which reduces the lip to a minimum providing that attention is given to the amount of curd used. The finish of these cheese is a distinct improvement and must give greater satisfaction to the trade. Approximately 15 per cent, of the factories in this section are using rimless hoops and turning out cheese of neat and attractive appearance. Sixty-five per cent, are using the deeper sections, while 20 per cent, are being penalised in points for finish in most consignments graded, owing to faiilty finish at the rims of the cheese. It should be noted that where the bandage becomes wrinkled or overhanging at the lip of the cheese the rind often opens up, mould penetrates, and the deeper the lip the greater the loss to the retailer.

“On checking the weights of cheese it is sometimes noted that the nails or staples have not been driven into the crate ends or centre boards, but through the battens only. When this takes place the cheese are liable; to become cut- and damaged by the points of nails or staples while the crates are being ro'led. The necessity of using three wires on all crates has been already brought under the notice of dairy companies, and is provided for in the regulations under the Dairy Industry Act. Creamery Butter. “As all the dual factories commenced the season with the manufacture of cheese, the bulk of the creamery butter handled lias been confined to four borne separation factories. A considerable improvement in quality compared with last season has been attained by two of these dairy companies. For the five months ending December last- the grade averages for these factories compared with a- similar .period of the 1925 season is as follows :

“It is confidently expected that cream grading will materially improve the Savour of our creamery butter and the initial attempt of a classification of the cream judging by our experience of the grading floor gives the impression that butter-makers and cream-graders are working on sound lines. As a rule the butter lias been well made, and there has not been many instances of overworking. some lines having a tendency in the. opposite direction. Whey Butter.

“All our cheese factories are now equipped with whey i,skimming plants, a though a few dairy companies do not manufacture whey butter, the cream being sold to other companies. At one time a proportion of starter cream was added to the whey cream, and which considerably improved the flavour and body of the butter. Nowadays it is questionable if whey butter is made from anything but whey cream solely. In some instances the whey flavour is too pronounced, and in other t uses oily or fatty. Speaking generally, the quality of the whey brands slipped through Patea is quite creditable, and some of the manager® are to be congratulated on their earnest off',' is in the manufacture of good whey baiter. “The moisture content of the hvger outputs of creamery butter bus been fairly uniform, and some of the buttermakers are doing good work tor their employers. In. other instances where frei moisture is noticeable, an irregularity of the water content can only le expected. During this season, of the total number of churnings checked 0.9 per cent, were found to have a moisture content in excess of the legal 'unit, the butter being returned to the owners for re-working. “Besides adding to the expense <y the defaulting dairy companies, in handling and railing charges, etc., the sorting out of butter containing an ex''<>?s of water give® considerable troab'c and extra work at the grading stcr:s.

Cheese. Creamery butter. Whey butter. 1924. S330 tons 573 tons 206 tons 1925. 8442 tons 340 tons 189 tons 1926. 8721 tows 498 tons 195 tons

192a land"finest. 94.6 5.3 91.1 1926 97.05 2.9 . 91.0 1925 Creamery 77.1 Butter. 22,8 89.9 1926 95.7 4.3 91.6 1925 Whev Butter. 68.1 ' 31.8 87.8 1926 86.1 13.8 S8.7

Factory: No. 1 OS.6 1.3 90.59 No. 2 85.8 14.1 89.6S No. 3 75.7 04 9 89.43 No. 4 06.0 “4:0 90.37 1926. Percent-. Percent. Percent. Avg. Finest. First, Second. Pts. No. 1 93.9 8.1 nil 92.96 No. 2 64.5 30.0 5.4 92.40 No. 3 66.3 41.3 2.3 92.32 No. 4 79.1 20.9 nil 92.96

Factory: No. 1 192-5. Percentage Percentage Av.g. 1st grade. 2nd grade, pts. 72,2 27.8 89.57 No. 2 S7.0 13.0 90.45 No. 1 1926. Finest. First. Second, pts. 22.2 74.5 5.5 91.54 No. 2 68.9 31,1 nil 92.70