STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 7

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

. By Deovkk.

W««kly Stock Sales: Burnside, Wednesdays Aahburton, Tuesdays »j'- * -\\t~j~ *.**„,,„ Adamston, Wednesdays Waiareka- Railway Junction, Tuesdays . Fortnightly: Bulclutha, Fridays Gore, Tuesdays Oamaru, Tuesdays Inrercargill, Tuesdays

[ Monthly: Ngapara, first Tliumday in each month Glenavy, second WedT* ■ i neaday in each month Dmrfioon, second Fnday in each month. Clinton. Palinerston, Win ton, and Waikcuaiti. Periodically: Heriot, Kelso, Kyeburn

A brisk demand continues for prime lambs, and the demand for good sheep for freezing is increasing. A large number- of ewes are being taken for freezing. London market prices keep high, and until heavy shipments arrive may still improve, particularly for mutton. The freezing works all >ver the Dominion are working at their fullest 'capacity. The prices being paid are good, and farmers should dispose of their drafts of fat stock as soon as ready. Messrs Weddel and Co and others speak hopefullv of tho London market, and say that the consumption is good. We shall not know much really about the future till well on in April, when supplies landing will be heavy and test the strength of the market.

Mr Gwilliam, Government Dairy Expert, has delivered an excellent lecture on dairying, particularly in relation to the cheese industry, and the • information contained in this lecture is valuable to all cheese factories, and particularly valuable to farmers contemplating the erection of a cooperative cheese factory, as he gives complete information on all points. I have •know Mr Gwilliam since he first came as a young man to New Zealand. His first 6tart was in the Edendale Factory, under Mr Scoular, Then he grit charge of a factory at Tauranga, and afterwards went to Werribee Park, Victoria, to Mr Chirnside's faotorv, where he made quite a name for himself as a butter-maker. He came back to New Zealand, and for many years was in charge of the large Eltham Butter Factory in Taranaki, where he did very,good work and gave the . utmost satisfaction,showing great ability and always keeping abreast of all the latest improvements. He left this, to the regret of the Eltham people, to join the Government service. Like the rest of the Government staff, he has thoroughly learnt his business, and was chosen, like the rest in that service, for his ability. All he says is practical, and the resul* o* •oractiV" 1 'm<*wledß , «, and it may be relied 1 on. First, he savs that a factory with 500 cows and making about 100 tons of cheese during the milking season can make cheese as efficiently (and. I ; should say, as economically) a.s the best of the largest factories. With 350 cows the expenses would run id per lb more probably than with 500 cows. With a fair prospect of 500 cows it is safe to start a > cheese factory. Less will do for a start, but 500 cows must be the goal to aim at. Mr Gwilliam puts the cost of naking cheese, including all manufacturing expenses and placing the cheese f.o.b. -on ocean steamer, at 3d to ld"per lb. It depends on the distance to a port by rail. I am inclined to think the latter sum would cover the expense in Otaero and Southland. Taking the past five years as a basis for an average, he places the net value of cheese f.o.b. at As a gallon of milk makes lib of cheese, at sid f.0.b., allowing 3d to Id for cost of manufacture to f.oh, means 4Ad to 42d per gallon for milk. To farmers intending to start a factory I think this is a verv safe estimate of the price to be for milk. .He gives a North Island l factory's results inpayment for milk during the past five years as 12d per lb for butter-fat. or about 4fd per gallon of milk. I am inclined to think some of our South- j land factories have done better than this. |

The prospects for cheese-making are decidedly good, and all we can make in New Zealaintdl for some vears -will not make up for the falling off in American and Canadian exports. Not that these countries are making less, but their population and home consumption are so rapidly increasing that

it is absorbing much of what used to go for export. This is most pronounced as regards America, and though Canada will for manv a year be the big-$-3st cheese supplier to Britain, their export will steadily decrease, as it has done since 1905. Ten years ago Now Zealand cheese export was 2500 tons. Now it is fully 15,000, and yet we have not made up for the shortage in American and Canadian exports during that period. The prospects for cheese, therefore, are good. Naturally farmers going into dairying want to know, not for one year, but for at least five years, what the prospects are. Prices will fluctuate, no doubt, but as the supply, even should we greatly increase our output, will not more than keep pace with "the shortening exports ■t-' Canada and America and the increase of population, I consider farmers starting a cheese factory may look on 4Jd per gallon as the least they may expect for their milk at the factory.

. Mr Gwilliam's lecture gives the fullest information on all points to guide those starting a factory. He deals with the following questions:—How to start a company, capital of company, where to get the money to start, the joint and several bond, allotment of shares, how to work with little money, how milk is paid for, milk payments monthly, property paid* for by shares, collecting share money, depreciation. He also deals exhaustively with the planning and erection of the factory and with the regulations to ensure a pure milk supply, which he rightly says is of paramount importance. .1 advise farmers to write ,to the Dairy Commissioner asking for a copy of this valuable lecture.

The returns from Seotember 1 to January 31 for the Dalefield Co-operative" Milktesting Association give the followingaverage yields:—Average per cow per month, 10121 b milk: average test, 3.65 per cent. ; average yield of butter-fat, 37.09ib. This means three gallons of milk per cow per day, which at the present value of cheese means £2 per cow per month. When the returns are completed 1 I look for a good deal of interesting information as to cows that par and cows that don't pay. Milk tests are highest when the supply is least, and to cheese factories thft high-test milk, though richer in fat, is deficient in cheese-making, solids. lam of opinion that when the tests are running so high cheese factories must, psv on another basis than merely a •buttev-faf, test during the coming autumn and white'-. Cheese factories should bear this in mind.

Tn re our grading system for dairy produce, an extract given below, from the Irish Homestead, is 'as complimentary as it is true regarding our trading system, and a, flat contradiction of what was said regarding our system by butter merchants in Sydnev lately, who seem verv ignorant or wilfully blind regarding this matter. Thev seem to be are important body, for what was said was considered important, •enough to be cabled to our newspapers and promptly contradicted by the leading butter and cheese exporters of New Zealand. The extract referred to i*£ as follows:—"The very perfect system of grading which the New Zealand Government has had working for some years now has been of great value Originally this scheme was instituted solely for educational purposes; gradually it grew, however, to he a recognised feature on the market, until eventually the trade utilised the grade marks as the pivot round which all deals and contracts were arranged. I am informed on the verv highest authority that a complaintrespecting the grading is of very rare occurrence. We may dismiss, therefore, the probability of any difficulty -in regard to Irish butter. Those who are interested in the product of the colonies on the British markets cannot understand why Irish butter is not graded. If there is any doubt as to the utility of grading still remaining in the minds of Irish butter producers the question should be carefully and impartially studied. One thing Is auite evident concerning our butter, and it is this, that the conditions under which it is marketed will require to be immediately remedied if we ar*» to keep pace with the advancement which hasbeen brought about by the splendid organisation of our competitors.''

Messrs W eddel Co. speak hopefully of the cheese market when writing under date February 11. The market has since improved, despite the fact that shipments from New Zealand were particularly heavy up to that date. Heavy shipments have yet_ to land, but I believe prices will be maintained till about May at least. The present Quotation is 62s for white and 60s for coloured. I expect to see the position as to white and coloured reversed shortly.