MILK GRADING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 August 1929, Page 5

MILK GRADING.

SYSTEM ADOPTED AT MANUTAHI. ADDRESS BY MR P. 0. VEALE. At the invitation of the directors of of the Manutahi Dairy Company, Mr P. O. Veale, dairy scientists at the Haiwera Laboratory, attended the annual meeting on Wednesday and addressed suppliers on the subject of milk grading. After some discussion it was resolved that the system be adopted for the present season. Speaking qn the subject, Mr Veale said the scheme was coming into vogue and would, lie felt sure, become more or less universal. It meant the paying out to suppliers on grade, giving a premium of one-eighth of a penny per lb. for finest-grade and deducting onefarthing for second grade. If the scheme were adopted he was certain the company would secure a. benefit and would never regret the innovation. Manutahi, he added, being a small community of large suppliers, was an ideal field for the scheme, because the factory was on the main road to the laboratory, the company had a manager keenly interested in tlie scheme and a good factory under one roof. Once adopted it would, never be given up in future.

The success attained at Whenualcura would also benefit, said Mr Veale. and they oould easily lose a large sum throtigh, not having milk of the very best quality. There were cases where milk, though not rejeoted, might have contamination that could not be detected without the aid of a microscope, and in such cases the manager was simply wasting time in attempting to secure the best results. Milk grading alone could secure the services of an inspector and! otherwise he would call only when the grade was down. Mr Veale said he would be very pleased to take samples and endeavour to right any troubles experienced. He instanced a ease whore a farmer, though he had' expended ai lot of money iii building an up-to-date shed, had had his milk “second-graded” and a visit to the shed was arranged. There was nothing wrong about tlie shed, but examination of tlie machines revealed a deposit of slime where the pipe had to be disconnected in order to take milk from each, bail for tasting purposes. Analysis proved that bacteria present in the slime were such as made milk a second grade, and tlie defect being removed the milk was now of the finest.

He instanced' other cases where leaky inflations allowed milk to get back into the vacuum pipes and so create bacteria that caused non-acid milk. Imperfect cleaning too had given trouble in some cases and these bad all -been rectified.

The adoption of milk grading, said Air Voale. was a good move, because it needed less starter and made a saving in time and labour. AVhenuakura had raised its grade and viekl and had been free of non-acid milk. The suppliers had been given an incentive to help one another, were receiving more for their butter-fat and, in addition, the manager had time to do other necessarvj work. The oost of the scheme was practicadly nil, while the returns could be increased very largely. He said he felt convinced that ere long the system would be regarded as a sound investment and he made bold to say it would cut out pasteurisation, which was. not, giving satisfactory results. In reply to a question by Mr Soown, Mr Veale said that feed flavours disappeared as Cheese matured and that it was bacteriological flavour, which might not be evident at the time of making, that was the cause of spoiling in the oheese. '■

The work, said Air Veale, would be done by himself, first daily and then the best two out of the three taken about thrice in every ten days, when would be the basis of payment. In regard to added water, Air A r eale said, in reply to Air Alacdonald, that about three per cent, was allowed' before it could be Raid that water was present in the milk, but tile quantity depended on the size' of the herd milked.

The chairman, Abr S. O. Tonics, and other suppliers approved of the scheme anti a motion for its adoption was carried.

At the conclusion of the meeting a hearty vote o_f thanks was accorded to All- Veale for his valuable address.