FARM DAIRY INSTRUCTION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16374, 23 June 1927, Page 7

FARM DAIRY INSTRUCTION

ASSISTS BUTTER QUALITY EFFECTS OF CREAM GRADING '. ' (Special to the Herald.) ROTORUA, this day. , Interesting comment regarding "the efficacy of the farm dairy instruction of the type commenced in this district last season, was made by the Director of the Dairy Division, Mr. W. M. Singleton, at the National Dairy Association's conference to-day. Speaking of the improvement which had taken place in the quality of our export 'butter, Mr. Sisgleton 'said that this was to some extent due to the system of farm dairy instruction. The imCrovement in quality had been evidenced y many factories increasing their grade up to one point; a smaller number to two points, and both butter and cheese factories had shown increases exceeding even three full points. The question had frequently been asked whether farm dairy instruction or cream grading was the more important. He believed that it was impossible to say that "one was more important than the other for they went hand in hand. A number of dairy farm instructors had been appointed" to districts last season and they had done good work without causing friction. The lower prices for butter, however, were causing a few companies to reconsider these appointments, and in a few instances before such officers had .been working a full year, the department had received notice of discontinuance. One of the first received was from a company which had shown an improvement of two points in its grade during the season, and the service was costing the factory only a farthing for every lOlbs of butterfat. Did cases such as that indicate'that at some future date farnV dairy instruction should be on a Dominion basis?

Farm dairy instruction was commenced in Poverty Bay last year, when Mr.. R. L. Seed was appointed to assist suppliers. The Okitu and Kia Ora factories work in conjunction, and suppliers of both these factories are visited by the instructor. When second grade cream is received, or suppliers are in difficulties, the instructor visits the farm and endeavors to rectify the troubles. The system has given great satisfaction in this district, and the managers of the factories consider that it has lessened their troubles considerably. It has had an appreciable effect on quality—in combination with cream grading—the quality of the produce from this district showing a marked improvement during tho last two seasons.