SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15350, 13 January 1912, Page 12

SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL CONKICRENCE. The it.:n:ti.-J conference of memU'rs of the South Island Hair)' AMiuiation was hold ;:i li.vttelion on Tluinstkiy. Amongst tho.-o )>rc*3iii were Mi-;irs .1. (Jray (Mataura). ih.iirnian of the asocial ion;" I). Cmhlie. <!iii<-ior of ihe Dairy I'mduoi) Division of th.' DepiiitiiK-iil of A'trricullinv; S. Clavton, dury piialuce e-railw ul li.vtlelwn; U.'l'Vr-i-ier. pnnluo'.. trr.u!„r; K. Wct.rtell, cle:k to tho prodwv fintder: E. J Arlow |Wed<Hi iin,| Co.); C. II Clihboni (Lyfti-lluu llarkiur Kai-.l); and the followi.'ifr ix-pre-S'lilatins of <x)iii|aiuii'.s: CiLtiterbury (VnIral Dairy (V.iiip:u ) y-M i^si , s J. .Miil:llet:ui (iiM-at'erj, S. Smith (sKsrrtary). I'. (lirislin ibiitler-makir). J. M'lntyn-. A. M'Onxr.ir. A. AiuK'p.a-i. and K. Lord; Tui T'iipu lliiry (<iiup:inv—MoA-irs n. K. Peryman (chair:i;an of diudors). .1. M-jiißeU '-'• ■'• ('hampi ill uiuiiak't'i'). ami I'. I'. Apir (wort-IJ-rv); Sefita Ihti;> CVmirKiny—Miisiw l>- Boyce (diieclorl anil F. M'Cowan (miiiia::er): AshImrUm Diiirv ('omtwiv .1, ('. N. Oris- (ch.iinn.in or dinolors). T. D. Hath-Ki-te (inaiia-ifcrl. and K. Wa4wn (secTelarv): SVawjird Downs Company (Southland). Mr H M'Cill (director); Stirliuc Compaiiv (OUu'ol. Mr 'J', l'artor (ihairnutu of directors). . . Prior lo the commeiKT.ment of tlio liu.-i----i:o.s of tiie c:jiforen«». a qmuititv of butter and oh(v< awaiting fJiipmenf wik and ltiilinl. Messrs Cmldie and JAvlon explained the ii:r;.luvls adopt.vl and the system of mnuxliiiK tmiiiK wid invitwlHioso |>r(vent to jrrn«l<- the simpler, for taslinir. TIIE CONFERENCE. Tho Chairniau said that on his jouniov ii.>rth ho hud Ihjmi (rreatly imprcssisl wit-ii the prospects of the ilairying industry 1>l» tw«vi Duiicilin and Chrutchurdi, which were iiiueh brighter than thuso of the kuiio tin,,, last year. Ho was plcusixt to say that tho (fradiiaf of butUir to-day wa-s moiu iulv.tr.wl, and all must how jin[oruuit it was for the standard of ipubi.v lo be kept up. During Hit' iw.-t )v.w tho dairy liirnwr hiitl had little to crumble i.t, tor 'hif;h prices lad ruled. The dairying industry v.-.is a wmtiK one, but if had a bit,' future'and nil had a (,'ixxl deal to burn. The pwjioe of drouxhls in nwiiy othor ivmntrieo last vcur had maiio a l)i{? ilemaml (.■•■ butter and" ohetfv, with tho result tluit clurso .-old at 73s p.'.- cwt and butter only a shilliiiK below Dnni.di prioas . litis ('iv, liuotlv showxil l.ow ii«f co-try it was ror New''Zealand to pixxluoo a »ood artiole if it wantctl to not to Iho forclront of the iniirlict. New Zcalc.n<l \\u» well lulaptod foe daiii'inc. mxl it bolKA'eil country men fiom oni? owl ot the twmtry to tlui other to unite ami further the piojcct.—lApMr T. Parker will that lm was greatly ple:iseil with the I'uiancial juospi-ct.i of the indii-'trv for the wmiiiiK year. Ho was an artlpiit"l)olii'vcr in wnsigninu, mid it was the duty of inemliers of the association to do their busine : ri through the association. There whs no middleman to be paid, with tho result tlwt when the prices advanced lliov got the benefit. Dairymen wore now more on the alert to take i'.ovautaße of the svstem. The c:>w-tcftin;,' (System iiad so fa'" proved fairly satisfactory, but ho was afraid that u number of the cows found their way back into the market, but in, doubt if "all the cows failing to puti, the required test were treated in this way there would soon bo a dearth. Air Parker added that he was afraid tho hrcndiiiß of th? sires was not nts good us it was 15 or 20 years a£o. uikl the industry was weakened by the prornco of so many h.i'fhriilri. Mr M'Call etateil that one of the chief objects of the association was co-<i|X!ra-tion, which was very essential (or the mwhinif of tho indiit'try The asuociation was foitiinutely now on a better financial foolint;. and' would l)o able to push on tho work. He had been jireatly impressed wilii the ipiality of Ihe hulter and chcMe at I lie various agricultural shows. He was afraid that in many instances the prizes were awarded lo butter ami cheese that had Iven specially prepared for the particular show, which he thought wus.not benelitiii'; llie iiuliislry. lie .idvccatwl the nwarjlinj; of a cup to lines that \vere not specially prepared. Hy cloiiijf this one would be enabled to fee' the quality of butler iniitmfacttlreil throughout any period. In rei;anl to indenting, he tliousrhi that everyone was aware tluit it would bo to their iidvantaßP to order tlifir re<iiiiremenls throui;ii the association, l»th for cheapness and quality. He was a firm believer in coiiiMgninir produce through the (urociatioii. The present system of grading was a good one. The Dominion was fust becoming ,i checw!making country, and in the course of a few vears their big rival, Canada, would need all her own production for local consumption. Canada was not altogether adapted for dairv funning. In reply to Mr M'Call, Mr Fcrricr stoted thul the system of awarding prizes for line.' of butler not specially prepared was in vofrnn in a number of shows in tho North Island Several of the delegateo advocated i the broadenint! ot the scheme, which would uiiike factory managers keep up a high standard thromshoul. Mr I). Cuddie. Director of the Agricu • j lural Division, staled that as regards grading stores, lm who a firm believer in tlio open d<wr policy, which enabled a man with a little practice, to become qualified lo tho work of judging tlio different grades. The divieion encouraßod the system, and his experience, had bixm that the factory mar.agftrs who uttended these imnioctions tho most frcqtienlly turned out the host qiiaJitv. Tho policy of the department was to push the work on as much a-s possible-. The standard of grading hud risen of lute, but there was, room for iinprovciiionl. When faults hail licen found in any particular brand of Imtter tho inspectors had always gone to the factory and riuhtcd tho iliifcet. lie was torry that his slair was not as largo as he would have liked, to cope with (lie industry. For various reasons dairying in Canterbury lwd not irro.vn during the past 10 years as ho would have liked. In IDOO thorn was uti much butter turned out as in 1911, but cheese showed an increase of 300 per cent. Apparently the lime was not far distant when the dairying industry would grow. Tlio province favoured the settlor in many other pursuits, but no doubt the cutting up of many large estakv would oder more exti.ilS'imi. lie hud no Imitation in saying thai thofo going in for the industry would uet go-.d returns, (or at the. present time the pioiiucer could not keep pace with (ha demaud. The liomlon market Just year hud lieen very salisfurlory, and the report* had Imeii highly encouraging. The quality of the C'hotv. 1 liad bwn well spoken of as far as grading was coiicerned, but thu time was not ripe for producers to run away, with the idea I hut they hud reached |ierfe::lion In viiw of the uoin|>ctition from other centres it was iinixirl.'int that every ©Hon should in; made to bring nlniut an iiuprovenv.'iit. One weak |K>int was the milk supply, lie knew of several people who look a great deal of ciiro in this respect, but there wore ninny otlieit- who were not too careful, and it was unfair for the former lo have Ids milk mixed at the fsetorv with the inferior article. The department would make every eluirt lo ext?ro! ihe work of instructors to farms, and he could say thai during (he jxist two year; good ivsiilts hud lxxm achieved. Ixtst year 35C0 farm l had been visited. In one district out of 60 farm., it had lieen found that 40 of I hem had liieir stands erocteii in wront; places, and there was a danger of (Jie milk becoming conlainiiiated. Pressure hud bi'i'i. brought lo lxiar, and ilie result, was that the arrangements were nowfar inoie ..Miliary. Speaking of the factory nwlli.itv.', Mr Cuddie said that as a general rule, .vhere ciiried out on up-to-date lines, a largo amount of good had lieen ilone. Ihiring the jkisi two vears theie had been a marked progress iii the pastourisaiion of rream for butter-makin" wi(h the r.s;ili that it was genim' umo unifonn ami bett-jr-keeping butter than piwamsly. Unless the system was carried on: the wrmt way it was better lift alone Mistake* were nftr:i m.ule in skimiuin*' tfo heavily. The oonlttil of acid i„ cr J,m i was a most important matter. A minilx-r ' of 1,-st.s made showed that more attention was lie-d'd in this f'hee.-e made i ui:<!:'.r the alkaline (?st was ». K cod jruide! : and the biuierunker shott'd be |e!SUade<i i lo make clou- ob-»<rvalioiis of the alkaline method. 'Ihere was also ihe i;e<wsity of! sivi-ig ti'at tls> temprratiire was corrrci. ! In briefly referring to ihe cxparsinn of the' eh«>s4. iwhistr- Mr Cuddie sad (hat in 1900 HM fins had ben nianufacturrtl, ]ysi j n 1911 it had grown to 30.003 tan. From .I'.ir.ua-v 3 thore Ixul bton imi increase of; ?.i per cent., but. butter had fallen off aliotit ■ 19 cent. Tir« was no doubt iho to the : bad weather .Mr ('uildie refcrrcl (o tip, r.vont innovation <| r .n intruder in soft cliv-feuiakifg. which he said many \xyn } " viewed uiyler a misnnpr<>li?n-.ion! .Soft ehcrse. with few exception:, imw i.,;,) direMly after being man--.if.T-tnrcd. W] WI P"i;-'h> iirqiri'nted with farcvchc<vo there wo-iM pmUihlv he a <;nnd mirk": f,v it 1.-vtllv. ai'd in lime it would -ihl nl.e to the il' ; rying indwtry, RoMrftirtf nn,-'-l : on of cow-testing Mr Cud lie *Mtr.! that !:st year over 5000 cows j-nd Iv-iii r".s-cd, ,ird it -.vas that this -Mr t'r.e nnmK'r vrouhl !>-• increa.<ed to: ''kSOO. Tho rcr.iltx we.-o being watched '

very closvly. During tho past 12 iiioiiths olio caiii|Ninv i" the north had started manufacturing casein, It was at the present juncturo too early to olfer an opinion on another product In conclusion, ho (tanked the urKc.oia.iiou for its assistance given liim ami also for its attoniivo hearing. One of the dulcgakfi stated that.ho did not think farmer* |mid cnoujfh < attention to the hived of lh<> cow A. and this was one of the reasons why many of their cows failed to pjp.s tho retpiired tost. Ho li;id Ih'en in tho Inuinofrs for about 25 years, and his tows held the- higliod honours in the iveont tests. He atlribulvd this to mi experiment of finding out for himself tho licst hreiiU to cross' lion's with. Ho had started with the wierih-rn. none on to the Jersey, mill liiKil'y tin- Ayrshire, ami he had obtained a fine standard of animal;, lie explained the, method of finding out good heifers, and said that if others gave the mat tor a lilllo c.»:s : .derali.>i. rtioy ostiltl olit-:iin like result';. (In the motion of Mr 11. K. Perrymnn a \vrv hearts- vole of thanks was accorded llr Cmlilio for liis a(l(lrts<. Voles of thank wore also jicc.ir.led to tho I.vltclton Hnrhnur Hoard for tire use of tho room to the di'ltV'ilt's (if Hie National Dairy Ais-triilion ami lo tho chnirman.