Dairy Farmers and Butterfat

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 61, 13 March 1943, Page 6

Dairy Farmers and Butterfat

WAITING FOR MR. NASH TO RETURN. A report issued to all dairy companies by the Now Zealand Dairy Board shows that the effective average butterfat production per cow during tho 1941-42 season was 216. G lbs. for the Dominion. The average for the North Island was 217.4, and for the South Island 208 lbs. A census taken the previous year showed that the average for New Zealand was 323 lbs. The report points out that this decline of 1G lbs. butterfat per cow compares closely with the figures issued by the Government Statistician who showed a decline of 19 lbs. per cow between the 1940-41 and 1941-42 seasons. The annual report of the Dairy Board issued last monin states that the census of dairy herds taken on 15th January 1941 showed that there were 1,777,239 cows in milk, of which 295,928 were herdtested. To enable the effective average production to bo ascertained, each dairy company forwards a return at tho end of the season showing the total butterfat credited to each supplier. By a system of weighted averages based on the details compiled on all cows under test, allowance is made for the culling of herds, late ealvers, etc., on a formula agreed upon by the technical officers of the Department of Agriculture and the Dairy Board, and in this manner % the "effective” average production per cow is determined. Commenting on the decline in the production per cow during the past two seasons, Mr. A. J. Sinclair, secretarymanager of the Te Awamutu Co-op. Dairy Co. Ltd., and a member of the Dairy Industry Council said the the figures were most disquieting. Climatically the 1940-41 season hud been one of the best experienced for several years, but the production of 232 lbs. butterfat per cow in that year had fallen a long way short of the hgure of 25U lbs. assessed by the Minister of Marketing in 193 S (Hon. W. Nash) when announcing the Government’s decision to pay 14.89 d. per lb. for butter under the guaranteed price scheme. The industry protested strongly at the time, claiming that the minister’s assessment had been arbitrarily made on a basis which ignored the unanimous recommendation from a joint committee set up by the Government and the industry. "Mr. Nash's high-handed action still ranKles," said Mr. Binelaix*, "and many dairy farmers are glad he is returning to New Zealand ueeuuse they are determined that this subject must be reopened before there can be any question of agreeing to the Government’s latest proposals for economic stabilisation. The industry nas admittedly received a small increase of id. per lb. this season following the British Government's decision to pay slightly higher prices for dairy produce, out me standards laid down by Mr. Nash in 1938 still stand, in view of the conditions prevailing in other industries to-day, the dairy farmer feels bitter when he recalls that in 1938 Mr. Nash promised him a labour reward of £1 10s weekly, with a free house, provided he achieved the following three objectives; (1) His cows must average 250 lbs. butterfat; (2) each male unit of labour must bo responsible for 6,250 lbs. butterfat; (3) the farmer must make a net profit from pigs equivalent to lid per lb. butterfat. "Tiie returns now furnished by the Dairy Board," continued Mr. Sinclair, "show that the dairy herds of the Auckland Province averaged only 209 lbs. butterfat last season, and in North Auckland the average was only ISB lbs. Harassed by labour problems, shortage of fertiliser, and an unfavourable season, the farmer faces a fcurtiier decline this year, and this is unfortunate at a time when the shortage of edible fats in Britain is causing concern. The position has been aggravated by the Government’s delay In tackling the problem of manpower, and many farmers have already made arrangements to sell their herds.’* In the interests of the war effort, concluded Mr. Sinclair, the dairy farmer had been remarkably patient during the past three years, but the whole industry was determined to oppose strongly that aspect of the Government’s economic stabilisation proposals which set as a basis the levels of prices and costs ruling on 15th November last, on the grounds that it would be just as equitable to ask manufacturers in other industries to sell their goods at the prices charged in 1938, or for a city worker to revert to the wage-levels of that year, and at the same time carry all the increased costs which have accrued in the interim. This subject, lie said, would form one of the chief topics for discussion at the annual conferences of the industry to ue held shortly by the Dairy Board and the National Dairy Federation.