TESTS OF DAIRY CATTLE

Southland Times, Issue 23674, 24 November 1938, Page 8

TESTS OF DAIRY CATTLE

To The Editor Sir,—Your correspondent, J. Graham, writes in your issue of November 22 complaining of the “glaring headlines” used to report the remarks of the president of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association about tuberculosis in dairy cattle. I heard the remarks passed during the president’s address, and holding the same opinion about the testing of dairy herds for tuberculosis I would certainly commend you had you printed his statement in glaring print rather than in ordinary style. In my opinion it is a scandalous state of mind which obtains when the producer* considers pecuniary loss against the health of the consumers of his product. As your correspondent suggests that the fear of monetary loss is the reason why more cattle are not tested, I think it is time the tuberculin test was made compulsory. As for the pasteurization of milk, I heartily agree with your correspondent. I maintain that the pasteurization of milk and cream in our dairy factories has been responsible for the decline of the price of our exported dairy produce during the past few years. If our cheese and butter were manufactured from a natural article we would still be able to obtain the highest prices against our competitors on the Home market. Our cheese factories nowadays make a difference of payment on first and second grade milk. Yet the second grade article is pasteurized with the first grade and goes into the same vat to make what is hoped to be a first grade cheese. The pasteurizer seems to be used to make a harmful article less harmful; in other words, it is used to make dirty milk safer for human consumption. Let the authorities make tuberculin testing compulsory, pay, more attention to the source of supply and we will be a healthier people.—Yours, etc., DAIRYMAN. November 22, 1938.