PRODUCTION OF CHEESE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19976, 19 June 1928, Page 12

PRODUCTION OF CHEESE.

RESEARCH IN TARANAKI. HIGH AND LOW TEST MILK. COMPARISON OF RESULTS. COMMENT ON REGULATIONS. [llV TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] HAWERA, Monday. Revelations of great importance to the dairy industry are made in a report issued to-day by Mr. 1\ 0. Yeule, research chemist in charge of the Taranaki Dairy Federation laboratory, covering investigations concerning the values of high and low testing milk for cheese-making. The aim of the experiment has been to determine, as, the result of a season's cheesemaking with the milk of Jerseys, high testing, and Ayrshires and Friesians, low testing breeds, what class of milk and type of cheese are best suited under New Zealand conditions for export. .As published so far, the findings indicate a greater value for cheese production of the low test than the more popularlyfavoured high test animal. As they embrace an extensive field of inquiry, with answers to a large number of hotlydebated questions, the findings arc difficult to summarise, but a statement of paramount importance is Mr. Veale's arresting remark that many dairy farmers are losing largo sums of money by the present adherence to the high testing cows for cheese-making purposes. lie has found that cheese produced from the milk of Friesians returned 2d per lb. butter-fat more than the product of the high testing herd. Higher Yields from Low Test Milk. Expressed in percentage form, the actual average yields secured over tlie whole season show a strong preponderance m favour of low testing milks. The Friesian production was over 13 per cent, more cheese, and the Ayrshire over 9 per cent, more cheese per lb. of butter-fat than the Jersey, states Mr. Veale. On the other hand, the old contention that Jersey cheese would sell at a premium on the Home market, due to its higher butter-fat- content, has been borne out, it having averaged 2d per cwt. over the whole season in advance of the price realised for the low testing product, though this premium on the total sales actually made little impression upon the increased production per lb. butter-fat of the low testing milk. For the purposes of investigation, the milks of three herds, consisting of 55 Jerseys, 50 Ayrshires and 70 Friesians, were made into cheese under ordinary tactory conditions in three experimental vats, situated in an ordinary cheese factory owned' by the Hawera Co-operative Dairy Company at Tokaora. Full analyses by standard official methods were made daily in the laboratory of all constituents of the milk, whey and cheese. Each batch of cheese was weighed separately, graded in New Zealand, regraded. weighed and valued in London, and full reports on the quality and suitability were supplied by experts appointed in London. Feature of Friesians. A full history was thus recorded from the time the milk entered the factory to the actual point of sale of the cheese. A million pounds of milk were handled, manufacturing 49 tons of cheese. Work at the laboratory entailed intricate records and graphs, 10,000 pieces of analysis, commencing September 1, 1926. The practical investigation concluded on April 30, 1927, final reports from London being received early this year. The Friesian herd commenced the season with an average test of 3.45. This fell to a minimum of 3.25, rising at the end of the season to a maximum of 4.18. Respective figures for the Ayrshires were 3.75, 3.55 and 4.47, and for the Jerseys 4.53, 4.33 and 5.78. Tables from the analysis of milk yields show that the low testing breeds secured a bigger vield of cheese per lb. butterfat, the Friesian breed, as the lowest tester, being outstanding. Actually the lowest yield of the Friesians, 2.652, for nnv ten-day period, was higher than the highest of the Jerseys, 2.021. 'lhese differences were caused by differences in the proportion of casein to fat. Out of a total of 714 crates of cheese 36, or 5.04 per cent., were graded second at Patea. For the major part of the season the Jerseys maintained practically 92 points or more, whereas the low test varieties fluctuated mostly between and 90 points. The Ayrshire showed the greatest variation in quality, and was little inferior in average grade to the Friesian, although, this is partly ascribed to difference in milking shed appliances. Advantage of Jersey Yield. There were many occasions when these types scored uniformly 28 or points out of 30 for body and texture, but during the majority of the spring and summer the Jersey tended to show an advantage of haif point in Jiody and texture. Against this the low test maintained its average as the season drew to a close, though the high test fell away distinctly, finishing up second grade. At this stage of the season the fat test of the Jersey milk was so high that the body of the cheese was always open and greasy. Regarding this phase, Mr. Veale states that during the months of March and April the fat test of the Jersey milk was frequently in the vicinity of 6 per cent., and actually reached 6.62 per cent on April 27, with an average per period of ten days varying from 5.2 to 5.8. During the same two months the Friesian and Ayrshire tests rarely went above 4.5, while the highest period test reached by the Friesian breed was only 4.19, during the last ten days of April. These figures indicate that 4 to 4.5 per cent, of butter-fat represents the limit beyond which it is unsafe to go, if one would make a consistently good cheese of uniform body. Effect of the Regulations. Referring to the New Zealand regulations requiring that export cheese shall contain not less than 50 per cent, of fat in dry matter, the report remarks that, since cheese from normal Friesian and Ayrshire milk frequently falls below that standard during the spring months, the effect of the regulations is to place undue restrictions upon those breeds. It is significant, continues Mr. Veale, that these breeds form a large proportion of the cheese herds of our Canadian competitors, and that the standard set in Canada for export cheese is 45 per cent. Since Canadian has, at least during the last few years, consistently commanded a premium over New Zealand cheese, wo may well ask ourselves whether our regulations are wisely framed, and, if so, what return are we getting for the burden of the extra 5 per cent! of butter-fat with which we voluntarily load ourselves ?