THE SUPERVISION OF THE MILK SUPPLY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4319, 30 March 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE SUPERVISION OF THE MILK SUPPLY.

(By J. A. Kinsella, Dairy Commissioner.)

THE FACTORY .MANAGER'S DUTIES

The peculiar constitution o£ milk renders it liable to defects that seriously impair its value, whether made into butter or cheese. Particularly, is this- so with the latter product,, as it is well known that tainted milk has a more pronounced and harmful effect when made into cheese than when made into butter. I venture to say that thousands of pounds are lost to the industry in this colony because of the imperfections that occur in the milk, and owing to the condition in which it is delivered at many factories. Much of this trouble could.he overcome if a mofe thorough 'knowledge" of its causes, and proper remedial methods, Were constantly and-clearly placed before the supplier through the medium of the factory managen. ' 4 ■; ■ First may he mentioned taints or defects produced by the presence in the milk of living microbes, due to filthy milking, etc: - ; then there are-the defects due to the ahsorptioTT of odours from the air or food,' also to the derangement j of the normal condition of the animal;

In the first place, it is important to encourage the‘supplier to practice cleanliness. .It'is’also important for. the manager to set the example by keeping everything in and about his factory thoroughly clean. "It. should further be boriie in mind .that' the very best milk is offjen spoiled hi . the process of manufacture: Again, a .factory manager, should- iriot take it for granted that his suppliers are well up iiv'thfe improved! methods'of treating their milk, ue should consider it his duty to educate them, as far jas possible, in this work. , r , j '. A factory manager needs to" he jukt, upright, impartial, courteous, and, atxjve all, firm in his • purpose. If .a', supplier’s milk,isrm.bad condition, it, is not necessary to flare up iand say that it is “rotten, ’’ or .“.vile,-” expressions, which arp surd to offend. But. if. the. manager impresses the supplier, with the fact that their interests are mutual-; if the supplier is quietly advised that his milki is ‘‘off” flavour, or that the quality is uotall A ’should; be; if, such tact -is observed, in nine cases, out of ten, mem handled in this way will develop into the best suppliers at-the factory v . | ;Xlio manager nas'also to coiisiaer the best-interests of his suppliers. Some suppliers will do their vary best to carry out his instructions, while others will be caieless about the milking and handling. Jlf after- a reasonable; amount of educating on the part, of the manager a supplier’s milk, still arrives at the factory in such a condition as to preclude tfia possibility of .making a. good-marketable article frdm is his duty-to, reject such milk. Evjen if the offender is one of the largest suppliers, or one of the most influential directors of the company ho should 1 Ibe treated , just as impartially as though he were the smallest supplier. ... J . : I am quite aware .. of; .the many difficulties- factory’managers, have to- contepd with., in handling koine suppliers; 'but ivitln a reasonable amount of tact and good judgment most., people; can be led, .though ; l'have never yet seen an- intelligent farmer who could be driven. !lf the-manager: uses good judgment in dealing with his suppliers,-arid if he is foujid to be working iu the interests,of his employers, and keeps lus end of the business in such: cohditipn that they cannot fijid fault with'hiitt—in other words, if he sets thW’hxample by keeping, everything ; iu arid about the’ factory perfectly cleans he will in ninety 7uinp, cases out of a hundred win the confidence, of the suppliers, and will be hacked up by the directors hr employers. When the factory manager haS accomplished this lie will liajvo ’no difficulty in turning, out a line.article of cheese dr "butter.. , . !

: 1 would .strongly urge upon the filchory manager ,the importance of paying strict attentionrto the,supervision of.the milk supply, so,that'he-may know just ..what kind ofi milk he is Jiandling evejry day. ■ I-hpJd/th/it this, is .the first step towards'' success in either cheese or but-ter-making, arid'that the man who, islin 'the 'Best.- positjen' ‘t6.;act' As teacher jin the improvement of ttffi milk'supply! is the 'manager of .the factory.' 'lt'is he Who is responsible to his •employers, for the' finality 'df r either fihedse made from' the -milk delivered to 1 diifn. Therefore, it is 'directly in his own intfir'ests' to pnto forth every effort- with the suppliers -to : get’the' milk delivered 'in first-class condition. , In doing this he lessens the "difficulties connected with the manufacture. ‘ • ' ' '

. Theynanager is always ,on the spot, and .has an .opportunity to,study the defeats in the milk which no-outside.person woiild have.’ I think it is-generally.; recognised' that the suppliers lock. to,- the- manager for advice asrto the, proper care of thpir, milk, and if 'it; is hot in, such condition as to enable a good article being’ made from it.he'shbhld have io 1 , return the railkl , I maintain, that if " the, directors have,hot sufficient confidence |in f lieir, rngnager to back him .up in matters such as,'these,-which are directly in their town interests; - and if the* suppliers have 'hdt,confidehce;'iu''thQ , ,m-anager,- lie should not r.em'am ip tjie position. • It .is necessary-for the manager to . begin hjS, educative work -. gradually and ■carefully, hht let the supervision be; a Strict; one. ■ First .of • all, acquaint, .the suppliers that it is a matter of fi.-s-d. tc> them. ■ point out that; it is direptlyin. their interests' that you are r pressing for improvement. Lay before them ; the .importance of. having, the milk; .aerated in a pure atmosphere, or thoroughly cooled as toon" as possible after milking. Also explain that if the niilk js hot aerated tor cooled iri hot’weather; and is allowed to remain overnight in cans' fh that condition, the cream will .become, clotted, which means that a uniforniVsample, will' ) not be obtained for testing.. , i r .j'A great.deil-has'heen said-.with reference jto.. educating the ..ton the proper ..treatment of . his; milk and the suporvislorL.of the milk supply.; - The system advocated .by some .people in the colony—to throy" the onus of inspection ahd supervision : entirely on the Government. —is in my mind a wrong; one. lam a firm believer in,the-inspection of herds, and in the inspection of-dairies, from a sanitary point; of view-, and this work-is now. being -taketa. up by. the .Department of Agriculture. But there are many difficulties in the way of undertaking to oversee, and inspect the condition of cans and other apparatus;, and instruct the supplier. generally. ,';ln the hirst .place, to carry out -this .work, man would be required,with atCchnical knowledge of milk and'the.changeSat undergoes, also of.the troubles, caused in the process of maim--factiirfi' due."fo'shch changes, 'whether frofn or absorption..

. - -In. all my experience in other-countries' I, have.noticed, that the ,factory r xaanagers ■who took .the:most interest in the.supervision of the milk., supply were the most successful men,!.hotly in. properly conducting their factories, and.in .turning out a. first-class article, t ,Again, wcnjiaye only, to'look to’the most successful managers in our own colony. Who are they?' The men who have madovthe supervision 1 of the milksupply a study,- and educated their suppliers up to such' a standard that they are .trf-’day irt. a position id'tarn' out a 'fifid, article. ‘ 'lf 'a 'TnctpryfUlaiiager is properly "qualified he becomeka very important 'member' of the community, in which 'die r _riesid6s." To 'be a 'successful mauager requires a man’of'good hathraT ability and well-trained judgment.'.-' Ha should;'” moreover \ possess 'a ' certain

amount of tact, a good knowledge of human nature, and in particular be tboroughly posted in his business. In most professieiis Hie^operaloFlias-the raw material he manipulates in practically the same condition every day, and is therefore not called upon to exercise any largo amount of judgment in order to turn out a uniform article, particularly if ho works on a fixed system. Such, however, is not the case with the dairy factory manager, for, although m; may be working on a good system, his raw material is never twice in the same condition. In order to riiake a uniform article of butter or cheelie from different qualities of milk, under different conditions, requires, as before stated, a man of good judgment, and one who will exercise a groat deal of care.

I therefore repeat that the success or failure of a dairy factory depends largely on the manager. This being accepted, and seeing that the manager is responsible for the quality of the butter or cheese produced from, the raw material, he surely is the person to supervise the milk supply of the factory, go that ho may know exactly what- kind of material ha has to handle.