DAIRY FARMING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1858, 1 July 1887, Page 7

DAIRY FARMING.

It will be perceived by the intercolonial market reports, now published regularly in this journal, that New Zealand cheese — mostly factory made — realises top quotations in Sydney, Adelaide, and Brisbane. The average price of prime butter in the same markets has for some time been remunerative, and this, it must be borne" in mihflj while cattle feed is unusually abundant throughout Australia. The inference to be drawn is that in nearly all seasons a satisfactory outlet would be found in the colonies for butter, were the industry as skilfully and systematically pursued as is cheese making in the factories. No doubt the great majority of men and women do their very best to make superior butter, and fancy they succeed in doing so, but the absolute inferiority of the bulk of the article sent to market is convincing proof that there must be an all-round improvement in dairying before the individual farmer can hope to realise a profit on his butter in an outside market. A factory company would, on the other hand, be in a position to place a considerable parcel of "skilfully made, neatly packed butter of uniform quality on a market, and could afford to await a favourable opportunity for its disposal. The brand would soon become known, and if the quality proved superior and uniform, an enviable position in the market would soon be assured. The experience of dairy-farmers in the colony has shown them the futility of salting summer butter for sale in winter. The article when marketed is, as a rule, so stale, rank, or over-salted, as to be unfit for consumption, there is, therefore, little or no demand for it at any price, for even ordinary consumers are becoming more discriminating in their tastes, and prefer cheap meat to indifferent butter. All the while, even in the local markets, fresh butter commands satisfactory prices, — prices which fairly remunerate the farmer, — and could supplies be depended upon, increased consumption and demand would follow. There now seems little room to doubt the success of the combined system of cheese and butter making at the factories. There is an impending danger of over-production of cheese so far as the capacity of the colonial markets to absorb supplies is concerned, and it would certainly seem to be only a prudent precaution to provide beforehand the necessary appliances so that buttermaking could be promptly resorted to in the event of any serious depression in the value of cheese. Nor must the fact be overlooked that we are most favourably circumstanced for the establishment and maintenance of an export trade in dairy produce to the United Kingdom. Our surplus butter from September till the end of January, properly made and put into attractive packages would reach the British markets during the winter season — the season of scarcity and high prices — and would have the further material recommendation to the Home consumer that it would be the product from grass-fed cows On the 28th j of last March — a time of the year when spring food for cattle is usually abundant throughout the United Kingdom, France, and Holland — the quotations for butter were: Danish, 112s to 1245 ; Norman, 100s to 1325 ; Friesland, 88s to 945; Cork, first quality, 121s ; seconds, 108s ; thirds, 101s ; and j fourths, 84s per cwt. In London prime American cheese was held for 6'is to 66s per cwt,' and in Glasgow, same date, Dunlo'ps were quoted at 56s to 635, and Cheddars at 56s to 65s per cwt. We fail to perceive that it would require a superhuman effort on the part of a dairy factory association to place on the London market cheese and butter equal in quality to the primest quoted above. There- is a further cogent reason why the subject should receive prompt consideration so that a venture may be tried during the summer ensuing. The new line of steamers promised will break up the existing monoply and compel the companies who now control the trade to grant concessions to shippers in the shape of substantial reductions in freights and greater facilities towards forwarding consignments.

Allusion has already been made to the benefits which must accrue to farmers — especially those who hold shares in the dairy associations — by the adoption of a judicious system of winter dairying. There will be found no real difficulties to be encountered in carrying out the project, and the factory will be kept a going and profitable concern all the year round. The fanners must arrange to have cows to calve at certain periods, so that a fairly regular supply of milk may be maintained. There must be an ample provision of suitable food for the cows, and this can be produced in this colony at comparatively little cost. Professor Carroll, who was deputed by the Cork Agricultural Society to visit Normandy and report on the dairy system followed there, writes : "In the districts around Isigny, where the highest priced butter is produced, the winter feeding of cows is extremely simple, and this is one of the principal causes why so much good butter is produced." The professor explains that to him it appeared that One of the secrets of good quality of the butter is the " good management of the meadows and the proper careful saving of early cut grass. In some districts beet — for which mangolds would be a good substitute— and cabbages are given to the cattle, but great care is taken to remove from the latter all withered leaves. Other foods used are bran — which is held in especial favour — grains, and occasionally ground oats and maize are also given, but 'linseed and other cakes are altogether tabooed.' "