MILK PRODUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22984, 11 March 1938, Page 14

MILK PRODUCTION

PROPOSED SURVEY

IMPROVING THE INDUSTRY

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

[BV TEr.EGIIA.ru —SPECIAL RKPOHTF.It] WELLINGTON, Thursday

The decision of the Government to carry out a survey of the production of liquid milk for consumption in homes and srhools was announced to-day by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Leo Martin. Ho stated that tho production of milk for these purposes called for a specialised typo of dairying which was of greater national importance than many realised. "This survey will bo made by tho Department of Agriculture and 'will he under the direction of Mr. I?. P. Council, land utilisation officer," said tho Minister. "It will bo conducted on similar lines to tho two surveys carried out in recent years in regard to the production of butter-fat for manufacture into dairy produce and to surveys of other phases of farming, such as wheat growing and flax growing." Costs of Production Tho work was being designed to cover thoroughly the economics of milk production, ho added. The objective was not only to give accurate information on tho present cost of production, but also to indicato the major factors responsible for inter-farm variations in the cost of production, and thereby possibly to point tho way to betterment of tho milk-producing industry. It was to bo expected that comparison of the results and returns from various systems of farm management and farm practice would reveal tho relative efficiency of those under specific conditions and provide guidance as to tho avenues which should bo followed to attain lower average costs of production. ,Wlde Scope of Inquiry

"Specific matters which specially call for attention relate to systems of feeding and provision of feed, distribution of calving dates, relative incidence and importance of diseases and disorders, types of soils, and herd and pasture maintenance," said the Minister. "In the past such a survey has been asked for by the representatives of milk producers in the Wellington Province and, for a start at least, the survey will cover the Wellington-West Coast district from about Palmcrston North to Paekakariki. ' "The fullest collaboration of tho farmers concerned with tho officers carrying out the survey is necessary to obtain a true picture of the position, and, judging from tho experience in respect of similar surveys dealing with other phases of rural production, such collaboration will cliaractcriso the forthcoming survey."