FINEST GRADE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 January 1928, Page 5

FINEST GRADE

N.Z. CHEESE PRODUCTION

ADDRESS TO FACTORY MANAGERS PAPER BY DIRECTOR OF DAIRY DIVISION. \'A recent issue of “The Grocer,” , a provision trade paper, published in London referred to the excellence .of quality of our cheese then on the market. These would be last season’s cheese and were doubtless made last autumn,” said Air. W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division, in the course of a paper read before the Conference of the Taranaki Branch of the New Zealand Factory Managers’ Association yesterday. “Last season, for the five months, August-December, some 55 per cent, of our cheese were graded as “finest.” . The differential advance payment made by the Dairy Board seemed to inspire a special effort towards improvement in quality. That influence is not In evidence- this season. On the contrary a large proportion of our cheese has been sold f.o-.b. or c.i.f and -some buyers at least have not differentiated in price' between “finest” and “first grade.” It is known that some companies have under the circumstances, knowingly taken more latitude an the direction of supplying quantity irrespective of some lowering of quality. This does not appear to he a good method of maintaining a satisfied cheese trade for New Zealand. Writing on December 7, Air. W. Wright states: “There are indications in some brands of cheese of a too high water content; Happily these are not general, but quite a number of brands that have come from the district round about (a Taranaki name) have suggested to both Mr. Ross and myself that the makers are again out after quality.” Air. Ross, in a letter of November 29, wrote; “Every cheese examined with a good firm, nice meaty body was close and indicated a well cooked curd ”. Most managers present, doubtless recognise that excess moisture is conducive to “openness,” and that openness is the greatest gen eral defect .in New Zealand cheese. From what I have stated it will he recognised* that our grading figures for cheese must necessarily evidence a reduced percentage of “finest” grade this season as compared with those of the corresponding period of last season. It is gratifying to note a considerable reduction in the cheese graded as seconds. “Much, of our cheese has given good satisfaction to buyers. Our cheese as a whole are more uniform than those of any other country, 'and if we can make them all close in body, we have nothing to fear from competition CREAMERY butter. “The percentage of “finest” butter this season, although showing some reduction discloses o, more satisfactory position. The season has been erratic and variations in climatic conditions would naturally be more manifest with respect to cheese manufacture than in the manufacture of butter. Further, the grading of cream, and the compulsory differential payments therefore, must have saved the general position veiy considerably. “During the August-December period there has been a marked increase in the cream supply and in a number of districts this lias been sufficient to make the more ’frequent collection of cream economical This in turn means sweeter cream; the use of less, if any, neutralising agent; and less of that flavour in the resultant butter which the Trade in the United Kingdom term the “chemical” flavour. It is manifest that improvement along this line is just what we need np to' that point where such can be carried out- on sound, economic lines. “Fortunately, there has this season been a slight decrease in the percentage of second grade butters. Whether tins improvement can be maintained throughout the hot weather is a question. BUTTER WEIGHT'S. “About four years since we had serious complaints from the United Kingdom re excess water in New Zealand butter. We appear to have put a full stop to' those and to have regained the confidence of the butter trade in this connection. This season it is butter weights that is in question. We have been going into this matter of late, and we find that when the parcitinent is stripped from the block of butter it may weight up to five or six ounces .instead of the original weight of the paper at say four ounces. It would appear reasonable that a retailer should expect a block of butter to- weight at least 56 pounds when stripped. We must have a minimum of 561 b 6oz to ensure this, and 561 b 8 oz, including paper, would probably be the safer weight to aim at placing in the boxes. There are sure to be some under this, and some allowance so as to always have full weight seems justified. We must not permit such conditions as will give wholesalers and retailers in the United Kingdom the impression that New Zealand butter is not up to' full marked weight.

“Judging by reports from London and inspections on' our grading Ccci s here, there is room for considerable improvement in our whey butter. A lew companies appear to hav>3 made a special attempt to vary the quality <T then■whey butt-er by using the whey fresh from the cheese pres sets. Dairy companies were advised that under certain conditions the Division would not take exception to thy usei of press whey. These conditions really mean T-lvat 1 he cheese hoops and new press trays sheuid be so cleansed daily that the.r condition wil l be comparable to ia well-kept milk can. The 'present position, however, is that the regulation against the ■yt of this press whey still stands, and if a dairy company does not adhee to the special conditions attaching to the use of press whey, the regulation can he enforced and the use of press whey must discontinue at that factory. DOMINION FARM: DAIRY INSTRUCTION.

“The last point to which I desiie to make special reference is 1 nut of Dominion farm dairy instruction. Wo appear to have developed the service of arm dairy instruction about as lar as possible on the voluntary basis. ‘llitre are many other dairy companies anxiou. to be associated in this service, but which are so small that it is only by linking up with other companies that the seyviee is procurable. This means a group of sma'ler companies, and it has been found that the retracting of one company may -spoil the group. “There had been during recent years a great extension of the use' of milking machines and farm separators. Some supervision of the erection of milking machines is necessary to prevent the less conscientious companies ignoring the regulations and thus by unfair competition force the better companies to do likewise. Dairy farmers need such assistance as only farm dairy instructors can give, and it- is Hoped that the industry as a whole will soon recognise

Lhat this .service should be -put on a Dominion basis. “Were this service on a Dominion basis, the blocking system could be Adopted in -a manner winch, would prevent as far as possible any overlapping of the travelling officers. The Department recognises some responsibility in cho question of proper erection and genual condition of milking machines and a. m separators, and is. I believe, preare dto help financially. On the basis on which we are discussing this proposal it is not likely to cost the dairy farmers directly more than 0.02 d per lb of butter-fat. Ats an insurance premium this would represent a really good investemnt, considering the cover it affords. IN GENERAL. “We need to get New Zealand cheese as excellent in make as the most of it is in .flavour, and to this end openness and weakness in body should be guarded! against. Our creamery butter should be made from cream that V sweet aj delivered at the dairy factories, so- that the use of a neutralising agent mkv be avoided as much as possible. The butter and paper placed in i box should not in any circumstances bo less jthan 5-Glb Goz. an:l to ensure this nfilli S -oz. is a safer weight to aim at. The; quality of whey butter is as a rule depreciated by ‘using press whoy and it is a moot point whether most companies will find its use economical. If it be used special conditions must bo observed.

“To protect dairy farmers more generally in the use of milking machines and to assist suppliers in keeping their machine clean and their separators in better working order the service of farm dairy instruction should be extended from the present voluntary to a Dominion basis. The cost is Likely to be so low as to be not apparent to the supplier. The value to the industry would be very considerable.” i