THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20320, 31 January 1928, Page 6

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

CONDITIONS IN DENMARK. COMPARISON WITH NEW ZEALAND. (Siecxal TO Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, January 30. When so much' is heard of the respective merits of New Zealand and Danish butter it is of more than passing interesv to hear the comment of such a well-known authority as Mr J. G. Harkness, of Wellington, who returned by the Aorangi yesterday after a recent visit to Denmark. ' 1 feel that it is a bitter thought im those who are interested in the dairying industry of this Dominion,” he said, “ to know that butter which is produced under such ideal conditions in this country sells on the London market at 2id per lb leas than what is paid for Danish butter.” Although not inclined to speak too freely of his experiences in Denmark, Mi Harki.ess' described a special visit which lie made in November last to a State experimental farm in that country. \t the time the whole country was under heavy coating of snow, he said, and this brought home to him forcibly the much more ideal conditions under which dairying was carried on in this country. On visiting this well-equipped farm Mr Harkness said he asked if he might see one of their best herds. He was directed to a great barn, and told that he would find the best milk-producing herd inside. By the force of the contrast with our own conditions he received something of shock, for in that barn were 50 cows and three bulls being kept there for months on end. “io says the least, it was not possible for the hygienic conditions to be as favourable as those under k’hich milking is done and separating .a carried out in New Zealand, 1 said Mr Harkness. 11 I was there for a couple of hours, from about II o’clock onwards, and the cows were then being milked. The milk was run through pipes to an adjoining section of the barn and separating was carried on there." Our authorities in New Zealand would demand better conditions, but of course we must'not overlook the handicap of the cold winter weather which causes the herds to ,be kept entirely indoors for several inonths in the year. “To me it seemed strange, ’ said Air Harkness, ”to see animals which had been provided by Nature with legs to carry them around having no more exercise than they obtained by getting up and lying down. It seemed stranger still to realise that milking was earned on throughout the winter and butter was made under the conditions which obtain in Denmark."

Asked as to methods of feeding, Mr Harkness said that ensilage was in universal use and root crops were used to the fullest advantage. The herds were milked practically all the year round. As to the type of dairying cattle, he said, the Danes had evolved a type of their own. These were red cattle, large and well-conditioned, and good producers of milk.

Replying to a further question, Mr Harkness expressed the belief that New Zealand butter, as it is produced here, is of superior quality, but it has to undergo a severe test in the way of refrigerated transit to London. “1 doubt whether butter from Europe,” he said. “ after such transit would open up as well as our New Zealand butter. It is not that New Zealand butter is worth less than certain other butter on the London market—it is that the people in England will pay more for the other butter.”