DAIRYING IN THE EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19459, 15 October 1926, Page 15

DAIRYING IN THE EMPIRE.

STIMULUS OF COMPETITION. AN INSTRUCTIVE SURVEY. threat value of herd-testing. DENMARK'S CONTROL OF MARKET Nearly one-third of the report on "idairv produce by the Imperial Economic Committee is devoted to a survey of the development of dairying in the countries Supplying the United Kingdom, together with a description of the methods that B.re followed in stock husbandry and processes of manufacture. As this section too voluminous for full reproduction portions of particular interest have been extracted. A comprehensive account is given of ■ ihe efforts to raise the quality of dairy herds in Canada. "Of herd improvement by selection and breeding, and of increased profits through greater production which followed cow-testing, there is {i wealth of evidence," says the report. •' Nineteen years of testing has not achieved the elimination of unprofitable cows in Canada, but by furnishing every community with .striking local examples <of its results, it has established among the dairy farmers the conviction that radical improvement in the dairy herd as a business necessity." Provision of Purebred Bulls. The more progressive dairy farmers in nil sections now breed their herds to high yielding strains, and many of them have adopted stud breeding as an adjunct to dairying. Others have taken adTantage of special facilities for obtaining the use of purebred bulls, which for years have been furnished by Dominion and Provincial Governments. Chief among these facilities has been the loaning of selected pure-bred bulls to farmers' associations. In 12 years some 4400 bulls have been thus loaned. The benefits of this bull-loaning policy, in addition to the quickened development of profitable farming in new districts, have led to general agreement, in both breeding and buying districts, as to the best types. *The loaning policy and other educational -work of the Dominion and Provincial authorities have accelerated the movement among farmers to purchase pure-bred stock for themselves. This has been aided under the lead of the Dominion and Provincial authorities, working in coope/ it ion, by clubs for joint ownership of bulls. Recognising that feeding is a -vital factor in successful dairying, the Canadian Governments Federal and Provincial, have for two generations carried on research experiments, in which production under different conditions of soil and climate, selection of species, varieties and strains, and creation of improved lines have been conjoined with extensive experiments in feeding. New and improved grasses and fodder crops of all kinds have resulted from the systematic researches of more than thirty experimental stations throughout Canada. The Dominion has every* variety of soil, rainfall, and temperature, and dairying is carried on under such varying conditions as those which frevail in the British Isles, Northern taly, and Siberia. The researches have succeeded in producing for each diverse requirement the highest yielding and most suitable types for pasture, fodder, and ■ensilage. Marketing Methods in Canada. There is no organisation in Canada on a national scale'for marketing butter and cheese within or without the Dominion. In the past, butter and cheese have been sold mainly to dealers at the butter boards or markets, and then resold to importers in the United Kingdom. Since 1822 several creamery companies manufacturing large quantities of dairy produce have sold their output direct to British buyers. Canadian manufacturers have been influenced to sell direct to overseas buyers by virtue of the fact that they thus profit by getting their own brands of butter known ou the British market and by having the advice and guidance of interested parties who are fully aware of the of the final market. This departure in marketing is purely an individual effort, but is rapidly extending to large operations, in Western as well as Eastern provinces. In Quebec and Ontario co-operative organisations, representing groups of factories, exist for the sale of the products of those factories. The production of the 3.000,000 milking cows of Canada in 1924, both dairy and beef types, is calculated to have been about '12,000.000,0001b. (or 1.170.000,000 gallons) of milk, and about 420,000,0001b. of butter-fat, thus giving an average of just over 40001b. (or 390 gallons) of milk and 140!b. of butter-fat per cow. The Cost of Production. Considerable emphasis is now being laid in Australia on milk recording (herd testing) as a means of improving tlie output. There are 23 herd testing associations in New South Wales, -30 in Victoria, five in South Australia, two in Western Australia and five in Tasmania. While these figures indicate a substantial degree of progress it is only necessary to compare the herd testing records of Denmark with what has so far been achieved in Australia to recognise that as yet only a beginning has been made in what may be. regarded as the basis of economical dairying production. Considerable financial assistance is given by the State Governments to the associations in the different States, with the exception of Tasmania. At the present time the average butter-fat yield per cow over the whole Commonwealth is about 1401b. It has been estimated that the average cost of production on the present basis m Australia represents about £l4 per cow per annum, which figure in- • eludes interest on land and on the value of stock, labour, and all other charges. It has been estimated that if the cow costing £l4 per annum averages 1401b. of butter-fat the cost of production of the butter is 2a per lb. Where the output is 2001b. the cost is Is 4|d per lb. Where the output is 2601b. the cost is 1;> Id per lb. fFhis clearly indicates the paramount importance of every effort being made to increase the standard of production, and we are not aware of any better means by which this can be secured than by the •encouragement of herd testing associations throughout the whole Commonwealth and by tho necessary corollary of the introduction of stock of proved milkling strain. After quoting the results attained byimproving herds and top-dressing pastures, the committee declares that the facts indicate that the wider application of up-to-date methods would enable Australia to double her dairy production •without any increase in the areas at present devoted to dairying. Dairying in New Zealand, Settlement in New Zealand (and the introduction of livestock) dates from the ■year 1840. In 1925 the number of cattle in the, Dominion was returned at 3,503,744, of which 1,633,000 were for Sdairy purposes. The number may by Scomparisoß appear small —it is about half the number in England and Wales—but ■considered in relation to the population iof the country, 1,380,000, the figures assume their due significance, says the report. In the 86 years of its settlement New Zealand has developed its dairy industry to such an extent that it is now one of the principal dairy-produce exporting countries in the world, and the leading supplier of such produce to Great Britain. Dairying is now the principal of tho three main pillars of New Zealand's prosperity. It ajso gives employment to 77,000 people, or ( including their dependants, say, one quarter of the population. ' -

The three main factors which have contributed to the success of the industry in New Zealand are co-operation, the assistance rendered by the State, and the general use of mechanical aids. A brief account is given of the various co-opera-tive activities. As to the second factor, the report says that "nothing that could be done to foster the industry has been left undone by the State." Reference is also made to the extensive use of milking machines, home separation and the extension of electrical power. Denmark's Achievements. Proximity to the. market gave Denmark her opportunity, and by the utmost attention to quality, grading, arid continuity of supply she has made the most of that opportunity. Denmark is a conspicuous example of the triumph of human endeavour over natural disadvantages. Her soil and climate are, generally speaking, considerably inferior to those of the British Isles. Her success has been won by hard work, organisation, and the application of science to industry. This has largely been achieved by individual effort. It was not until success had been grasped that Government intervention and assistance appeared, and it was then mainly to protect the position gained rather than to impose improvements on the producer. It should, however, be added that the success of Denmark is in no small degree due to the efficient, system of agricultural education at the Danish high schools. Danish butter is sold by contract either direct to Danish wholesale butter merchants, to large British consumers such as the Co-operative Wholesale Society, or the multiple shops who have established buying depots in Denmark, or to co-opera-tive exporting societies whose members consist of the co-operative societies manufacturing the butter. The contract, selling price is based on the Copenhagen official butter quotation and is normally somewhat in excess of that, figure. The official quotation is fixed bv a Copenhagen committee on which both producing and exporting interests are represented. It is determined and issued every Thursday by this committee, who have before them full reports as to the state of foreign markets and the approximate quantities (if any) remaining in stock for which orders or shipping instructions are not available. TTiis quotation rules the price paid to producers for all butter received during the previous seven days. In this way Danish suppliers have for many years effectively controlled the United Kingdom butter market. Supplies from Foreign Countries. The section of the report closes with a brief survey of supplies from other foreign countries. It is stated that the supplies of both butter and cheese from the Netherlands have steadily fallen during the present, century. Nevertheless large quantities of cheeso and condensed milk, manufacttrred from the separated milk from which the butter-fat, has been extracted, are regularly supplied to the United Kingdom. The supply of butter from Sweden to the United Kingdom has varied considerably, but since the war the quantity imported has been considerably less than it was in the pre-war period. However, the production of butter in Sweden has increased considerably in recent years. The quantities of butter reaching the United Kingdom from Russia and Siberia have increased during the last year or two. The grading and packing, however, leave much to be desired. The quantity of butter obtained by the United Kingdom from the Baltic States, although at present small, is increasing. In these countries agricultural development has been undertaken with considerable vigour since the war. The standards of grading and packing are being considerably improved and the quality is steadily rising. Between 8 and 10 per cent, of the total of butter imported into the United Kingdom is derived from Argentina. The Argentine producer, realising the increasing competition with which he is faced in the United Kingdom, is turning his attention to improving the quality, tiie grading, and the packing of his produce. Considerable improvements have now been effected in these respects, and Argentine butter, although still one of the cheapest butters on the United Kingdom market, has considerably enhanced its reputation. There is no doubt that owing to these improvements the butter from the southern Dominions may expect to be faced with a growing rival on the United Kingdom market.