OUR DAILY MILK SUPPLY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3248, 19 January 1926, Page 5

OUR DAILY MILK SUPPLY

AS APPLIED TO NEW ZEALAND CONDITIONS. In concluding this series of articles “Hustieus” is pleased to think that, judging from various correspondence, the subject has created some interest among the readers of the “Times. One correspondent, signing himsel“Clean Milk,” -writing in Friday morning's paper, wished to know how it was possible to apply the methods and principles outlined in these articles to a town of say 20,000 inhabitants such as Palmerston North. That it is practicable and profitable to do so has already been shown by the previous statement that 34 out of 88 American towns with a population of “loss than 10,000 population” are at least partially supplied with pasteurised milk. The two main factors essential to the evolution of the New Zealand fluid milk supply are (a) To enlighten the producer as to the ’advantages of supplying a rich clean milk, and (b) To educate the consumer as to the -wonderful properties contained in milk and so induce him to double and treble his daily milk consumption. The Advantages of Rich Clean Milk. In the first article of this series the writer pointed out that our low consumption may to 4 great extent be due to the quality of our milk and that our methods of handling and distributing fluid milk are antiquated, inefficient and very often unsanitary and a generation behind many other countries. With the average housewife the cream line of the milk Is the main consideration and it may be said here that the cream line in itself is no reliable guide or Indication as to the richness of the milk. It is a well known fact that, with certain breeds of cows, cream ■ rises much more readily in the milk than with others, and the same applies to certain periods of the season ,a phenomena-**, due to the pize of the fat-globules which vary greatly in milk from different breeds. Although the cream line may not be an infallible guide as to the quality of milk, there are very few consumers who cannot distinguish good milk from poor milk, while its keeping quality is a sure Indication of its cleanliness. It has aircadv been pointed out that it pays to seli good and clean milk and the price of fluid milk as charged in New Zealandis in favour of the producer when compared with other countries, or when compared with the price received by suppliers to butter and cheese factories. At the same time, the average price of milk in New Zealand is a fair and reasonable price provided the quality of the milk i 9: satisfactory both from a point of richness and cleanliness. It Is only fair to stato that the fat content of milk is a very unstable factor and may vary in the same herd from 3.Bibs to s.Bibs 'Of fat in lOOlba of milk at different times of the year. This variation is 'mainly due to the different stages of the lactation period and may be counteracted to a great extent by having cows coming in at different times during the year.

A Fair Price. As previously stated compared 'with factory supplies, the price pjlid fpr fluid milk leaves >i margin greatly In favour of the latter. The retail price charged for milk in Palmerston North at present is 5d a quart, equal to 1/8 per gallon (lOlbs) of 16/8 per 100 lbs. Assuming, this milk contains -llba of fat per lOOlbs of milk (although much milk is retailed below this fat content) this price represents the equivalent of 4/2 per lb butter-fat, compared with 1/6 to 1/9 as received by suppliers to cheese and butter factories. Although several milk vendors in Palmerston North supply their town consumers with milk from their own farms and so avoid all middlemen’s profits, It must not be thought that milk can be retailed as cheaply as supplied to butter and cheese factories and the above comparison is only made for the purpose of showing that there exists a reasonable margin of profit which should enable the average vendor of milk to pay greater attention to its quality. The Dairy Industry Act 1908 defines “pure milk" as “the whole of the milk (including strippings) drawn at. the time of milking, but does' not include milk containing less than three per cent, of butter-fat or mixed with preservative, chemical or colouring matter of any kind.’’ The same Act and numerous regulations added thereto, provide for the registration of dairies, appointment and powers possessed by, Inspectors, etc., etc. Improved Legislation AVanted. As long as our milk supplies arc, however, governed by such general and poorly defined regulations, not much progress and improvement need be looked for in this direction. In most’“countries, towns and cities with over 10,000 inhabitants, statutory power is given to the municipal authorities to make provisions and bring in by-laws as they may see fit, concerning the supply of various articles of food, etc., and to appoint their own officers and inspectors. It is greatly due to this fact, and the friendly co-operation which exists between the health and education authorities and the milk producers and vendors, that the milk supply in these cities has been raised to such a high standard and that tlio consumers have been enlightened as to

I the value and benefits of drinking more milk. That New Zealand must eventually follow the course set by other countries, is beyond doubt. The wonderful research work done in milk is of quite a recent date and Is too important for even the people of New Zealand to ignore. In the meantime, the dairymen have matters in their own hands and should profit by the experience of other countries. Their first objective should bo to give the consumer a milk as rich in butter-fat as possible. The foolish and clumsy dairyman who adds water to his milk Is becoming a rarity. Yet, the separator has become a handy thing, and the sale of cream a remunerative business. But it should be remembered that separator milk is only fit for pigs and not worth Bd a quart. The man who simply supplies milk with a three per cent, fat in order to keep within the law, is a poor and shortsighted business man and is partly responsible for the low milk consumption In New Zealand to-day. (To Be Continued.)