NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVIII, Issue LXXVIII, 16 June 1919, Page 3

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL REPORT.

The annual report of the National iJairy Association of New Zealand sh£ w*i that the year's working has added £2806 to the credit of the profit 1? *9$ Sa--f °CO^ t ' Which now stande rL. j8 '4* The rePort, inter alia,

Review of the Year.

The universal judgment probably of Sn T^?v + n<T rap^ly Pa6sing away Hill be that it was the most ''extraordinary ' and erratic experienced throughout the Dominion. The winter was long, and the latter portion wet and intensely cold, with the result that spring growth was. delayed beyond the usual period. The provision made for winter feeding was exhausted, the consequence being that when the milking herds were coming into profit, owing to the want of suitable teed, the vitality was lowered Mortality amongst dairy cows reached an unusually high average, and the efficiency of those which weathered the nrst months of spring was seriously impaired. Practically on to the end of the year 1918 the rainfall was plentiful and persistent. The pastures were fairly abundant, but the lack of sunshine gave a minimum of nutriment which is essential to the best results from the dairy cow. However, the new year brought a distinct and favorable change. The temperature rose, the sunshine gained in strength, the pastures improved in quality, and the autumn was good, so that a probable disaster has become, in some respects, a success. Nevertheless, the lesson of this past season to the agriculturist, and especially the dairyman* is: do not allow mild winters to beguile you into making the minimum provision for winter feeding instead of the maximum to carry your stock in good fettle to that period .when Nature provides it automatically. Remember, it pays. A little carried over is infinitely to be preferred to being a little "short."

Quality of Output

, Taking the season a s a whole, the quality this year compares favorably i with that of last. The standard is nob i lower, but could lje improved with, advantage. Taking the produce made from the beginning of the 1918-1919 season up to the end of the, year, there was a distinct advance in the make and quality. Notably this applied especially, to cheese. Then, when the- year turned and the temperature rose, there was a decided falling away. Naturally one is led.to enquire w'hy^ when certain conditions improve, such as more uniform climatic conditions and more nutritious pastures, there should be a deterioration in quality. Why should not the standard' be maintained. The answer llies in the fact that in the former period low night temperatures ranged, and the night's milk was kept in* good condition; when thi s temperature rose the raw material suffered in consequence. This year's experience proves that it it is desired to manufacture dairy produce of a uniform and high standard more careful attention must be given to the keping of milk in the test possible condition. Everything has heen done at the manufacturing end to ensure a high-class article. Jit remains for those i most deeply interested in the industry to deliver milk to the cheese factories and cream to the butter factories in such condition a s will attain the desired object of a higher standard of quality.

Exports and Statistics

The dairy produce exported from the Dominion does not show any substantial increase. If th.c shipments to the United Kingdom are compared with the corresponding period of last year it will he found that there is no great, increase in the quantity shipped. Butter is less by 28:234 boxes, nnd cheese*is more by 20,5G2 crates. Snr-ie 701.503 boxes of butter have been shipped as against 819,707 last year, anci 008..352 cratee of cheese, as compared with 577.790 previously. The heavy stocks of cheese and also certain quantities of butter held over at the close of the season make it difficult to form any correct idea of the progress of the industry.

The report notes with approval the extension of storage facilities in Taranaki and other parts of the Dominion but says the position i n Wellington is not yet as satisfactory as it should beand also speaks favorably of the keenness shown to expand the output of milk products. It also summarises the history of Government purchases, etc. The returns show that during the season there were exported from New Plymouth 79,905 boxes butter. 108,268 cases of cheese; from Patea, 9933 boxes butter and 122,609 cases cheese; from Wanganui, 18,948 boxes butter and 7007 cases cheese.