THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21986, 22 June 1933, Page 9

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

SOME ASPECTS OF PRODUCTION QUALITY AND MANUFACTURE ADDRESS BY MR W. M. SINGLETON {Pee United Pbess Association.) HAMILTON, June 21. At tlie conference of the National Dairy Association, which was opened here to-day, the director of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture (Mr W. M. Singleton) delivered an interesting and comprehensive address'on aspects of the dairy industry. Mr Singleton said: PRODUCTION.

“ The present position of the international dairy produce trade will lead some people to question whether our increase in production is now a matter for congratulation. The fact remains that New Zealand has been endeavouring to extend its development along lines for which Nature appears to have made special provision, and efforts in this direction would seem logical and right. From that point of view an increase in production over last season of some 20 per cent, in butter-fat represented in butter and cheese graded signifies a praiseworthy effort on the part of‘ dairy producers. Butter accounted for a 22 per cent, increase, while cheese rose approximately 14J per cent. The facilities for collecting farm separated cream would lead one to expect a greater increase in butter, while increased butter production is also linked up to some extent with an additional number of suppliers from the ranks of sheep farmers who have made dairying a branch of their operations, The income from butter-fat has been regular even though small in comparison with that of normal times. QUALITY OF BUTTER.

“ Quality of butter has been more than maintained during the past season. There was more butter graded ‘ finest ’ for the year ended March 31, 1933, than for the previous financial year—the increase representing 2J per gent, of the Dominion's output. Eighty per cent, of * finest ’ butter is no mean showing. TJhe average grade also evidences a slight improvement,' despite greater difficulty with food flavours consequent on the greater growth of pasturage in some of the more favoured dairying districts. Our London officers report m£re pleasing aroma in a larger proportion of New Zealand butters, but sound a note of warning against the development of too much acidity, which tends to produce fishy flavour. Mr Were, a butter instructor of the dairy division, now in London, states:— ‘“The quality of New Zealand butter is giving general satisfaction. During the last few weeks I have visited some 60 or 70 wholesale distributors in the provinces without hearing a single rear complaint with regard to quality,’ Recognising that New Zealand butters'are meeting keener competition and that this is likely to continue, the necessity for further improvement is obvious. It would appear that this can best be done by improving the lower qualities of finest creams and some stiffening up of the grading in this connection seems justified. QUALITY OF CHEESE.

“It is generally recognised that the past season has been rather trying from the cheesemaker’s point of view. We had more than our usual share of hot weather, ami hot weather is not conducive to the best conditions for keeping milk or starters or cheese in the curing rooms. There was a drop of some 2 per cent, in the percentage of cheese graded as ‘finest’ and a corresponding increase in the quantity graded as ‘first.’ The determining factor in this connection is almost invariably a certain amount of looseness or openness which keeps much of our cheese out of the class known as “ finest.”

As was the case with the spring cheese of the 1031-32 season, last spring’s cheese were highly spoken of by the trades in the United Kingdom. The greater maturity was appreciated. It will be recalled that this was brought about by holding the cheese longer on the curing room shelves and by warming the curing rooms during the spring months. Last spring’s cheese were said to be the best spring quality New Zealand has yet exported. There has been some comment regarding defects in New Zealand cheese of the 193132 season, and a Tooley street importer whose opinion is valued has indicated these in order of importance, as discolouration, openness, waxing, and possibly some lack in “ ebeddar ” flavour. We are hoping to hear little of discolouration this year, but it is yet early to state whether we are entirely over the epidemic. It is known that several inspections made by decrating cheese immediately pri oy to shipment at all, grading ports, evidenced the fact that cheese are leaving New Zealand in good order and condition. MILK GRADING. The amending regulation of March, 1932, made the grading of milk compulsory, but without compulsory differential payments. I desire to record my appreciation of the manner in which the great majority of the companies gave effect to these regulations. The National Dairy Association’s annual conference of a year ago passed a ' resolution ,to the effect that milk grading 1 should be continued without compulsory differentials for the different grades as for the season just closing. This was given effect, but, nevertheless, it is pleasing to be able to record that 10 companies operating 34 cheese factories voluntarily paid differentia] prices for two or more grades. The amending regulations of last month will make it obligatory on all dairy companies receiving milk for manufacture into cheese or butter to pay differential prices according to grade as from August I next. The tests prescribed for use in grading such milk are: (a) The curd test plus the Methylene Blue Reductase test, or (b) the curd test plus the microscopic count.

“ It is recognised by these amending regulations that two tests are better than one. The New Zealand curd test, as suggested by the dairy division and perfected mechanically by Wilkins and Co., reduces the labour to a minimum, and so far as grading is concerned gives a curd which is an improvement on tnat produced by the Wisconsin curd test. The New Zealand curd test can, I believe, be conscientiously recommended by all managers who have used it this season. _ Milk grading should give reasonable efficiency without unduly penalising a heavy percentage of milks which will make good curds—-curds which in the opinion of factory managers will make good cheese. Milk grading should be conducted on lines calculated to cause more attention to be given to the sanitary handling of the milk, including the cleanliness,of milking machines. It is considered as a first essential that the cheesemaking qualities of the several milks should be made manifest to the manager, as is done by the curd test. A good manager will then give more attention to those suppliers delivering unsatisfactory milks.

GRADING AT CREAMERIES. “The grading of milk for the manufacture of butter may be .carried out by using the same tests as for cheese-making or by use of any one of the three tests independently, namely, the Methylene Blue Reductase test, the curd test, the microscopic count. During the past season most of this milk was graded by the Methylene Blue Reductase test. The results were somewhat erratic, inasmuch as a large percentage of finest grades followed a cool night and a larger percentage of first and second grades followed a warm, muggy night. Such results are to be expected unless all the night's milk is cooled to a reasonably low and uniform temperature each and every evening. Where such cooling is not practicable the use of the curd' test will give more uniform and satisfactory results, since it is to a greater degree a test indicative of cleanliness first and cooling second, whereas the Methylene Blue test stresses cooling more than cleanliness. \ FARM DAIRY INSTRUCTION. “Owing to the adverse economic conditions no progress can be reported with respect to the early bringing in of Dominion farm dairy instruction. _ The matter has been given careful consideration from time to time, and conversations have taken place with the Dairy Produce Board and individuals prominent in the industry. The general consensus of opinion appears to be increasingly in favour of such a general service, and in this respect I am of the opinion that the demand is more general than ever before, and it is unfortunate that finance is such a hurdle, due, of course, to the low market prices, for dairy produce. “ In the meantime the number of farm dairy instructors varies but little. There are 34 officers on duty, and work is being carried out in co-operation with 77 dairy companies with 31,000 suppliers, or about 45 per cent of the total suppliers for the Dominion, The milk or cream delivered by these suppliers represents about 73,000 tons of butter and 42,000 tons of cheese, or about 60 per cent, of our butter and 42 per cent, "of our cheese forwarded to the grading stores. “With over 51,000 farm separators and 23,000 milking machines milking 72£ per cent, of our dairy cows, the necessity for Dominion farm * dairy' instruction will doubtless be manifest to us all. AMENDING REGULATIONS.

“ During the past seven years there have been so many amendments to the dairy produce general regulations thajt some of these could only be followed with difficulty. They have now been- consolidated and copies are available from the Government Printer at 2s 3d each,- plus one penny postage. The Dairy Industry Act may be expected to produce further progeny by way of amending regulations about the commencement of our* next dairy season. A number- of new regulations was added when the old regulations were : consolidated. To some of these reference has already been made. Others are worthy of reference, and some shore comment on them should be of interest. Milk graders will in future be required to hold certificates, and these may be cancelled on account of unsatisfactory work. This certification of milk graders is analogous to the system of certification of cream graders which has been in vogue for years. Complaint has been made to the effect that some suppliers deliver milk to cheese factories so late in the morning that the factory staff cannot do the manufacture justice without working unnecessarily late in the evening. A regulation now requires a dairy company or its manager to refuse acceptance of any milk which arrives at the factory after 9 a.m. It has been considered that our minimum points for first grade cheese have been rather low. These have now been raised to 91. This gives the very narrow margin of two points for first grade cheese, and it is now suggested that we might favourably consider dropping the class known as ‘ finest.’ The South Island has had a lower percentage of ‘ finest ’ this season, and North Island cheese has improved to., an extent which has largely bridged the gap in its relation to quality. Having the new minimum of 91 as now gazetted, the dairy division favours the dropping of the class for ‘finest.’” The following retiring directors were re-elected: —Messrs Dynes Fulton (Auckland), A. Morton (Taranaki), and J. G. Brechin (Wellington).