FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 112, 8 April 1930, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

MILK RECORDING. ' DEVELOPMENT IN ENGLAND. Reports on the milk recording work in 1929 testify to the remarkable development of the system, writes the London Times’s agricultural correspondent. The country appears to be fully covered with organisations for looking after the milking performances of dairy herds. The records presented at the central meeting in London are supported by so many similar statements concerning district and county herds that the proceedings can be referred to only in a general way. The evidence of progress is convincing and re-assuring. Owners of dairy herds would be well advisod to procure and study as many of the reports as possible, lor apart irom the statistical details they oitcn contain observations that are of value in interpreting and supplementing the hguros. Jbomo ot the comments on the experiences in the dry summer and autumn oi lust year are instructive. For example, the iiucKS report -states that the drought iowereu tne general average m the raimess months by at least bll gallons per cow. Xhe recording system has increased the average yield of milk copsideramy. It has also presumably reduced the relutive cost ot prouuction, lor, although the forcing of milk yield beyond a certain level entails additional outlay in food, there may be savings on otner items to lavour the higher standurd production. At the same time tne raising oi output is not wholly gam, and the principle oi recording wnl be most eilectivo when it is applied in conjunction with proper regard to ochor considerations that enter vitaiiy into the comprehensive question. The rate ot yiold has risen appreciably as the direct result ot recording; it may riso still iurther to the general advantage provided the system be employed with discretion and due regard for the attendant inhuencos. As tar as milk production in its exclusive aspect is the aim, tho advantages pi recording aro clear and unquestionaoie. The milk producer who does not breed or rear replenishing stock, and who cares little or nothing lor the grazing quality' of the offspring of his herd, can afford to proceed on tne teaching of records regardless of relevant questions. His circumstances permit him, at least for a time, to concentrate on increasing the return of milk, and for this purpose records are essential and their interpretation is simple. DUAL PURPOSE HERDS. The keeping of milking records is important and helpful apart from their aid to selection of the deepest milkers. Their influence in the building up and maintenance of dual purpose herds is equally sound and serviceable. The stndy of registered performances does not mean that the student is in pursuit of 2000-gallon cows; if he aims at nothing higher than the easy average of 700 gallons, with, of course, the IUOO or 1200-gallon cows to even up individual yields that may be low from temporary causes, the advantage of having authentic figures to guide hun is acknowledged. The reoords that have come to hand from many sources, together with accompanying remarks, point definitely to this reading of tho evidence obtained. A preponderance of the dairy farmers keep records and use them as a guide in preserving a reasonable level of output pi milk without incurring risk of injury to tho other objects in view. Milk records, have to be read with discretion and just regard to circumstances. Stockowners are steadily interpreting them in this wider aspect, and look beyond the figures to the conditions of locality, the aims of the owners, and tho characteristics of tho stock in drawing deductions from published reports of milk yields. In their educational significance milk lecords correspond in some degree bo tho live-weight records of grazing and fat 6tock. Neither the grazier,nor the butcher makes his selections, or adjusts the prices ho pays, wholly on tho weight of animals. Tho weight, like the milk yield, is but a guide in appraising the worth of tho animal. It is, as the milk yield is, a valuable factor, but various Other points have to be considered in computing the ’real value of the animal.. It is all to the good that such help as the milk register and the weighbridge can give is receiving increasing attention and progressively sways favour towards the proper classes of stock. TWOFOLD USES OF CATTLE. The increasing and wiser use of milk records gives cause for genuine satisfaction. What some considered excessive cultivation of deep milking in the early years of the system gave rise to an idea, that unfortunate consequences were likely m the long run to result from recording. It was ■ contended that the balance between the 1 twofold objects and uses of cattle was ] suffering- from the shifting of attention unI duly towards milk, and away from the proi duction of suitable grazing animals. Comiiplaints to this effeot have been numerous ! and insistent, and instances of deteriora- ■ tion in the standard of the grazing stock in dairying districts are cited in support of tho argument. The. “scrub bull’ gets tho blame, and all sorts of threats are made against him. But there is more than 1 tho bull ■ at fault, and, if existing defects are to bo remedied, a more sweeping proceeding will have to be devised and adopted. Fortunately, many farmers are- beginning to recognise that excessive concentration upon milk is not unattended by ill-effects in other directions. The use of better bulls is important, but the wisdom of paying some attention to the heredity, and the individual merit, of the cows is also gaining adherents. . ■ • In our dairy etock there is a rich national possession, but it can, at least' in many parts of the country, be made richer still and of greater national service m the ■ double purpose of' contributing both milk and meat to the requirements of the community, if increased regard be had to the correct balance of the two outstanding properties and functions. It is. not the fault of milk recording if bo far it has operated against meat production, although it may have tended that way. The system is also valuable in herds where the dual purpose animals predominate, for it is important to the equitable balancing of merits that liberal milking should be induced and demanded in herds employed primarily for producing grazing stock.

'ANALYSIS OF CHEESE. ESTIMATION OF MOISTURE. IMPORTANCE OF METHODS. The introduction of the manufacture of standardised cheese in New Zealand has made the chemical analysis of cheese a question of major importance (states the Journal of Agriculture). The opportunity was therefore taken at a recent inaugural meeting of the New Zealand Dairy Science Association to discuss tho various methods of analysis in use in the dairy factories and grading stores, with the object ot' finally formulating a method which could be adopted as a standard. As a result of the discussion, and partly on the basis of the figures submitted by Dr. F. H McDowall, of the Dairy Research Institute (N.Z.), the following procedure was drawn up and approved by the meet,ng‘ ’ . SAMPLING. J The distribution of tho three chief constituents of cheese—viz., casein, fat and i moisture —throughout a cheese, or through- ' out the cheeses from one vat of milk, is not 'uniform, due both to actual variations ' in the composition of the cheese as taken from the press, and also to the differences in the rate of loss of moisture by evaporation in the curing-room. It is therefore not possible to obtain a'representative sample of the make of cheeso from a vat by talcing one plug from one of the cheeses with a trier. It was agreed that in order to . avoid excessive plugging of cheese analysis ; should if possible be carried out on only ■ onß plug of cheese, and • that' the errors in < sampling should be taken into account in : a consideration of the analytical results. It i was tho opinion of the meeting that the j standard position of sampling as adopted by the Dairy Division for use in the grad- J ing stores, should also be recommended for i adoption in the dairy factories—i.e., at a i position on the Wrcuriference of the cheeso I one-third of the distance from one end. j

Not lfees than lin. of the cheese should be returned to the plug-hole. . Figured were quoted showing that a cheese plug rapidly loses moisture on exposure to tho open air, and it was agreed that plugs should be placed, immediately they were' drawn, into a tightly corked sample tube or bottle. The tube should be kept in. a cool place, away from sunlight, in order to prevent' evaporation from the plug on to the side of the tube, and also running of fat. PREPARATION OF SAMPLE. It Was unanimously agreed that a homogeneous sample could be prepared most satisfactorily from a plug of cheese by grinding rapidly to a paste in a glass or porcelain mortar, with subsequent cutting into small lumps with a knife and a spatula, and immediate transference back to the sample tube or bottle. For an accurate determination of the figure for fat in waterfree solids it is essential that a homogeneous sample should bo used for fat and moisture determinations —i.e., after preparatidn of the homogeneous sample. It should bo kept in a welt-corked bottle. A sample so prepared is somewhat difficult to introduce into an ordinary Babcock milk-testing bottle. When such bottles are being used the sample may be prepared by cutting the cheese plug into very thin strips, which aro thoroughly mixed before the removal of a portion for determination of fat. The cutting should be carried out rapidly and during the process of cutting and filling the bottle the cheese should be handled by means of forceps. The moisture estimation is best carried out in wido flat dishes of nickel or aluminium. Tall dishes of the type used for butter analysis are not so desirable, since they do not permit free circulation of air over the surface of the cheese, and a longer time is required for complete removal of moisture. In cases whero dishes of approximately equal weight are used the dish must be counterpoised exactly before each estimation. A quantity of about fivo grammes of cheese is suitable. It is considered preferable to weigh approximately five grammes for the analysis and to use a table for calculation of the results from the loss in weights. Such a procedure involves admittedly two subtractions of figures as well as the noting of weights, instead of the method now in common use, where five grammes of cheese are weighed out and tho figure of moisture content per cent, is obtained by a direct multiplication by 20 of the figure for loss in weight. The association considers that tho loss in weight due to evaporation in adjusting the weight to exactly five grammes may often lead to inaccurate results.. It is important that tho temperature and time of heating be carefully controlled. The’ greater portion of tho moisture should be removed from the cheese at a temperature near the boiling point of water, in order to prevent occasional loss of fat and curd through spitting. Where only one oven is available, heating should be carried out at 100 degrees C. {212 degrees F.) during li hours, and the temperature should then be raised to 115 C. degrees (239240 degrees F.). The heating should ue continued at this temperature for from four to five hours. It is important that the time of heating should not be either too long or too short. In tho one case tho loss of weight is greater than that dtie to evaporation of free moisture from the cheese, and if tho heating is not adequate, free moisture will not be completely removed. It is not difficult to obtain results which agree closely, but the results may not- represent accurately the moisture-content of a cheese if the time and temperaturo of heating have not been carefully controlled. An alternative method, where an electrio thermostatic oven is available, permits heating of the sample overnight for fifteen hours at 103 degrees C. In this case preliminary heating at a lower temperature is not necossary. After heat treatment the dishes should be allowed to cool before being weighed. Hence it is advisable to transfor the dishes from the oven to a desiccator during cooling. LONDON MARKETS. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT. The Department of Agriculture has received the following cablegram, dated April 5. from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London: TALLOW. Market quiet but poor demand at auction and prices slightly easier. Seven hundred and six packages offered and 133 sold. Present quotations for spot aro: Mutton: Fine 38s per cwt.; fair to good, 35s to 36s 6d per cwt;» dark to dull, 32s 6d to 33s per cwt. Beef: Sweet and /or mixed, 36s 6d to 42s per cwt; fair to good, 34s to 36s per. cwt; dark to dull. 32e to 33s per cwt. Mixed: Fair to good, 33s 6d to 35s 6d per cwt; dark to dull, 32s to 33s per cwt. Gut, etc., 20s to 32s 6d per cwt. t HEMP. i Manila market firmer with better demand. “J” grade April-Juno shipment sold UP to £3O 10s, closing quieter under freer offerings: March-May shipment sold £3O; April-June shipment same value. Sisal: Market quiet except for small de3 land for urgent requirements and values nchanged. . \New Zoaland market dull, little interest shown and no first-hand business reported apart from small lots. Fair grade afloat at last values. WOOL. Sales continue with stronger general demand and larger proportion of offerings sold than was expected. Values hardening and -coarse crossbred has reoovered about 5 per cent, of opening drop. FRUIT.' ' ■ Cox’s Orange apples ex Rangitane in excellent condition; opening prioes extra fancy grade 24s to 27s per case; other varieties not quoted yet. S S.- Tainui shipment final sales, Gravenstein 9s to 10s, Worcester Pearmain 10s to 12s per case. OATS. ' Market firmer for imported with better consuming domand. German sellers are more reserved. March shipment high qualities sold at 16s 3d. Plato April shipment sold at 13s 3d. June shipment offered 13s 7id. English supplies not so heavy. Good white feed offered at 17s 6d to 18s, choice seed 23s to 245. Nominal value New Zealand A grade Gartons April shipment 22s 6d. PEAS. Maple: Spot market quiet and steady. “A” grade Tasmanian 'April shipment sold 58s. New Zealand new crOR No. 1 offered at 545, buyers' ideas about 503. Small parcel old crop afloat soid at 51s, .not much interest showing. English in good supply and demand is chiefly for fine seed, which sold up to 47s 6d; best feed offered at 42s 6d. Blues: Market dull .but steady for Japanese. Ma'rch-April shipment sold up to £l3 15*. No demand for Colonial varieties. Nominal value New Zealand blues £l2 to £l3 ex store. BEANS. Market quiet but steady. English winter quoted at 38s to 395, small round spring COCKSFOOT. Demand disappointing and prices have declined; present values 87s c.i.f. LOAN FOR SYDNEY NEW YORK, April 6. A syndicate comprising the Bank .of America, the Blair, Halsey, Stuart Company, and E. H. Rollins and Sons, soon will offer twenty years 51 per cent, bonds, for between five ahd -eight million dollars, for the Sydney Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board, the issue to be guaranteed as to principal and interest by New South Wales. The prooeeds of the financing, it is understood, are to be used for- the construction of additional water, sewerage, and drainage works,-or to refund floating indebtedness incurred for such "purposes.

. WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS AJ4D PRICES. Five sales were reported on the Wellington Stock Exchange yesterday, and all were of shares in steady demand. The share list shows that the demand continues strong for the . selected lines favoured by investors and there are not many sellers. Other shares are neglected. The 41 per cont. stocks and bonds (1938, 1939 and 1941) wee in steady demand at £97 ss, and the 41 per cent, bonds (1930) at £99. For the 51 per cents. (1933) there was a bid of £99 7s 6d, and for 1936 £99 2s 6d. i , Bank shares were not in such keen demand as last week, but prices showed very little chango. Commercial Bank of Australia at 21s 7d were 4d lower, English, Scottish and Australian Bank were 6d down at £6 11s 6d, but National Bank of New Zealand at £6 were unchanged. National Bank of Australasia, £lO paid were Is lower at £l4 19s, but tho £5 paid shares wero unchanged at £7 9s. Bank of New South Wales at £3B 17s 6d were 2s 6d lower, and sellers asked £39 7s 6d. Bank of New Zealand were up 6d to 58s, but Bank of New Zealand long term were unchanged at 26e. Fqr Bank of Australasia sellers asked £l2 10s, for Union Bank £l2 4s, for Commercial Bank of Sydney £2l 4s, and for Australian Batik of Commerce 258 6d. Goldsbrough Mort. and Co. at 31s 3d were 7d down on the previous bid. New Zealand Guarantee Corporation preference were steady at 20s 6d; Wellington Investment wero wanted at 10s lid, and Wellington Deposit at 9s 9d were steady. Gas shares were again in good demand; Auckland Gas at 23s sd, Christchurch Gas at 265, and Wellington Gas at 29s 9d. National Insurance at, 14s were 3d easier. New Zealand Insurance were unchanged at 43s 9d, and South British Insurance were 6d up at 61s. There was little business offering for other shares. Wellington Meat Export were unchanged at 7s. Huddart, Parker were up 6d at 375, P. and 0. deferred stock at 48s 6d, and Ifolburn Trams at 26s were steady and unchanged. Westport Coal were 3d better at 31s. Burns, Philp and Co. at 36s 3d were 3d lower, but Wilson’s Cement were 3d higher at 38s 9d.

+Ex dividend. YESTERDAY’S SALES, The following sales were recorded ion the Stock Exchanges of the Dominion jesterday:— • Wellington.—Bank of New South Wales, £39 2s 6d; New Zealand Breweries (two), £2 10b 6d; Electrolytic Zinc (preference), £1 8s; British Tobacco, £2 0s 6d. Auckland. —Inscribed >Stock, 1938, 4J p.c., £97 10s; Bank of New South Wales, £39 2s 6d; Dalgety and Co., £ll 7s 6d; Goldsbrough Mort, £1 11s 9d; N.Z. Drug Co. (2), £3 9s; Wilson’s Cement, £1 193; Waihl, 14s. ■ . >■ - ’ Christchurch.—N.Z. Breweries (2), £2 10b 6d, £2 10s 3d. Sales reported: Commercial Bank of Australia, £1 Is 9d, £1 Is 10d; N.Z. Breweries., £2 Ida 6d, £2 10s; British Tobacco', £2 Os'3d; Colonial Sugar, £43 7s 6d. ' '. ■" FRUIT SHIPMENTS. EXPORTS FROM HAWKE’S BAY. Per Press Association. NAPIER, April 7. •It is expected that exports of apples and pears from Hawke’s Bay this season will reach a record quantity and that the number of cases of both fruits combined will be about 250,000, or more. The previous largest number of cases oxported was 195,360, in 1928. Last year’s output, which was adversely affected by hailstorms, was about 146,000. - Though the export season has still rather more than a month to go, a total of 138,000 cases had been railed to Wellington for export up to Saturday last. There is to be a shipment of 1500 cases of fruit direct from Napier td' Rotterdam by tho Middlesex, which Bail from this port to-morrow. The unusual Course of loading fruit at Napier is being taken only because the Middlesex has fruit accommodation 6pace which would not otherwise be used. The use being made of tho Middlesex is in no way an indication of any change of policy on the. part of local fruitgrowers. Ihdcpd, the Fruitgrower’s Federation . is opposed strongly to shipping direct, eo long as' shipping facilities in Napier remain in theit present undeveloped state; Tho risks of delay, deterioration and mishandling are too great. Shipments would bo made, howpver, if the fruit could be xun up to the ship’s side. I OIL EXPLORATION. AMSTERDAM. April 6. ' The Netherlands Petroleum Company will start oil exploration in- New Guinea oh April 17 with an expedition of geologists. The expedition is expected to last fourteen months.

PRICES RISE. WOOL SALE AT DUNEDIN. IMPROVED QUALITY. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, April 7. _ The Dunedin wool brokers hold their fourth and final sale of tho season to-day, when 8848 bales were offered to a largo and representative bench of buyers. Tno offoring comprised a good number of wellknown clips, which, owing to tho previous sale being restricted, were held for this fixture. , Takon generally, the quality of tho wools was above tho usual standard which is generally offered at the -April sale. As tho latost reports . from London indicated a slight riso in values of 5 per cent, on crossbreds, it was anticipated that prices horq would respond to this news. Tiie anticipation was fully borne out, and at to-day’s auction prices appreciated generally for all classes of wool from id to Jd per lb, with tho exception of inferior and shabby halfbreds. which were unchanged. Competition was widely spread, and Bradford and the Continent competed spiritedly for all flcoco wools, whi'.3t local mills wore keen competitors for all good lines of combing wools suitablo fqr their requirements. The Continent and the fellmongers were anxious to secure linos of bellies and pieces, and tho groat bulk of theso fell to the bid of the former, although prices wero not up to a payable value to tho grower. _ It was evident that buyers wero operating at an increased limit, and this was appreciated by tho growers, who practically all met tho market and almost a complete clearance was effected, it being estimated that about 98 per cent, of the offering was sold under tho hammer.

YESTERDAY’S QUOTATIONS. Buying and soiling quotations at the final call on the Wellington Stock Exchange yesterday were as follow: Buyers. Sellers. N.Z. GOVT. LOANS- £ s. d. £ a. d. 44 p.c. Iiu. Stk., 1938 97 5 0 97 12 6 44 p.c. ditto, 1949 97 5 0 — 44 P.c. Bonds, 1941, 1939, 1938 97 5 0 — 44 p.c. ditto, 1930 99 0 0 — 54 p.c. ditto; 1933 99 7 6 — 54 p.c. ditto, 1940 99 2 6 — DEBENTURES— Golden Bay Cement ... 0 14 9 — BANKSAustralasia ' +12 10 0 * Australian Bank of Commerce | — 1 5 6 Commercial of Aust. . (ord.) 1 1 7 1.2 0. Commercial Banking Co. (Sydney) — 21 4 0 English, Scottish and Australian 6 11 6 — National of N.Z 6 0 0 — National of Australasia (£10) 14 19 0 — Ditto (£5) 7 9 0 — Now South Wales — 38 17 6 39 7 6 ' New Zealand 2 18 0 2 19 0 Ditto (long term) 1 6 0 — Union of Australia ... • 12 4 0 FINANCIAL— Goldsbrough Mort .... 1 11 6 — N.Z. Guarantee Corp. (pref.) 1 0 6 . Well. Invest., T. & A. 0 10 11 0 11 6 Well. Trust and Loan — 7 4 0 Well. Deposit and Mortgage v 0 9 9 — GAS- • Auckland (paid) 1 3 5 — Christchurch 1 6 0 — Ditto (contr.) 0 12 0 — Wellington (ord.) 1 9 9 — INSURANCE— National 0 14 0 — New Zealand 2 3 9 — South British 3 1 0 3 3 0 MEAT PRESERVING— Well. Meat Ex. (ord.) 0 7 0 • N.Z. Refrigerat. .(IO3) — 0 5 4 TRANSPORT— r Huddart-Parker (ord.) 1 17 0 2 0 0 Ditto (pref.) — 1 0 0 P. and 0. stock 2 8 6 2 15 0 Kelburn Tram 1 6 0 — WOOLLEN— Wellington (ord.) — 6 0 0 Ditto (pref.) — 6 3 0 COADWestport 1 11 0 — W estport-Stockton (ord.) — 0. 3 0 Ditto (pref.) 0 1 9 ■— Waipa — 0 14 0 TIMBER— National — 0 9 0 Leyland-O'Brien' ...... — 1 10 0 BREWERIES— New Zealand — 2 10 6 MISCELLANEOUS— Burns, Philp and Co. 1 16 3 — British Tobacco (Aust.), (ord.) — 2 0 9 Colonial Sugar — 43 10 0 Dental and Medical . — 0 14 6 Electro. Zinc (pref.) . — 1 8 4 Holden’s Motor Bldrs. — 0 15 0 Howard Smith (ord.) — 0 18 0 Sharland and Co. (ord.) Wilson’s Cement 1 18 9 1 0 1 19 6 3 MINING— Mount Lyell — 1T4 7 Waihi 0 13 7 — Kawarau — 0 0 8

Following is the range of prices:— Merino, 60-64’s, 64-70’s— d d Average . 83 to 10 Inferior ... . 74;to 8i Fine halfbred, 56-58’s, 56’s — Super . 11 to 134 Average 8| to 104 Inferior . 7 to 84 Medium halfbred, 50-56’s, 50’sSuper . 104 to 124 Average . 84 to 10 Inferior . 7 to 84 Coarse halfbred, 48-50’s— Super . 93 to 104 Average . 83 to 94 Inferior . 74 to 8 Fino crossbred, 46-48’s— Super . 9 to 93 Average . 8 to 83 Inferior . 74 to 73 Medium crossbred, 44-46’s— Super 1.. . 84 to 94 Averago . 74 to 84 Inferior 6 to 7 Bellies and pieces— Merino, good to super . 7 to 10 Low to medium . 54 to 83 Halfbred, good to super .. . 83 to 104 Low to medium ' . 54 to 73 Crossbred, good to super .. 63 to 84 Low to medium 4 to 64 Crutchings— Medium to good . 43 to 64 Inferior and seedy ... . 34 to 43 Locks— Merino . 34 to 44 Halfbred . 3 to 44 Crossbred ... 24 to 33