DANISH DAIRY COWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1799, 29 August 1906, Page 54

DANISH DAIRY COWS

Ono of the means by which the butter manufacturers of Denmark are kept abreast of the times, and a healthy spirit of emulation engendered, is the dairy show. A good many years have elapsed since dairy shows were first initiated, but now it is practically compulsory for creamery companies to exhibit. The Government defrays all expenses in connection with these ehowd, a sum of £1350 a year being provided for the purpose, while a building which cost £4IOO has been elected for storing the butter while it is being judged. In order to make certain that the butter exhibited is the ordinary output of any particular creamery, arrangements have been made with the Telegraph Department to have a telegram sent to the creamery, calling upon the manager to forward a keg of butter j for exhibition, and this telegram is delivered just in time to admit of the butter being immediately taken to the nearest railway station for delivery at th© judging-store. If any attempt is made to specially manipulate the hut- j ter, or if a new lot <sf cream is got ready for churning after the telegram arrived, the first train is missed, and that circumstance involves a great deal of explanation to the authorities, so much so that no manager dreams of trying to work a point of that kind. Every possible precaution is taken to attain the object in view, namely, to have a series of exhibitions of butter just as it is produced for the market, and there is every reason to believe that this has been achieved. The creamery manager may be called upon for samples four, days in ducoossion, ox only onoa a weak for four weeks, or

only once in three months; lie never knows, but he must respond when invitod.

Til© judges of the butter consist of 30 of the largest butter-dealers, th® dairy expert appointed by the Government, and 15 dairy managers, in addition to an officer from the Research. Laboratory. The consignments are first weighed separately, the grods weight being taken, after which each cask is placed, with the lid removed, and the cover bands loosened, on a special stand constructed to servo the double purpose of hiding the cask from view while the butter is being judged, and collecting the water or lime which escapes when the bands are loosened, a glass receptacle being provided for the latter purpose. After the expiry of 14 days the butter is again judged, having meanwhile been taken out of the cadk and again weighed, the weight of the cask being also taken. By thee® weighings the loss of weight from the draining away of the brine is ascertained, and subsequently a chemical analysis is made to determine' the amount of moisture left in the butter. The judging ie done aocording to a scale of points, the good or bad qualities of each exhibit being referred to ill the repo id:. The manufacturer of each exhibit of butter is i*equired to forward information in regard to tho average number of pounds of milk required to make a pound of butter; what kind of cream-ripener is used, tho temperature of the cream at the time of churning; how often the butter is worked; the quantity of salt used, etc., and tin's statement, together with the report of the judges, is written on th© award-cards. The awards are • made every six months, and the prizes are one geld, two silver, and ten bronze medald, with diplomas for on© third of the remaining exhibits. A pamphlet, giving the names of the dairies, and all the information alluded to, including the points given, faults found, etc., is printed, and sent post free to all the creameries and butterdealers in the country. Therefore, in order to create and maintain a reputation, it id necessary to exhibit, hence the number of samples sent to each show to be judged, and the importance attached to tho awards made.