DAIRY FACTORY PROBLEMS

Southland Times, Issue 23838, 8 June 1939, Page 9

DAIRY FACTORY PROBLEMS

YEAR REVIEWED AT CONFERENCE

MANAGERS MEET IN DUNEDIN There was a good attendance at the annual conference of dairy factory managers of Otago and Southland, held in the rooms of the Dunedin Jockey Club yesterday. The results of the judging at the Dunedin Winter Show were announced, and interesting addresses on factory problems were given. . The secretary of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society (Mr R. D. Stewart) thanked the dairy, producers as a whole for their support. He paid a tribute to the judges in the dairy classes, and to Mr J. J. Henry and his assistants for the considerable amount of work entailed in the display of produce. The results of the judging in the dairy products competition were as follows:—

Butter.—Mr D. Hayward (Waimate), 98, 1; Mr D. Dyer (Mosgiel), 97J, 2; Mr J. J. Henry (Dunedin), 97, 3. Cheese.—Mr F. McEwen- (Mokotua), 99, 1; Mr F. Sheffelbein (Momona), Mr D. Thomson (Paretai), Mr J. Parrish (Rval Bush), 98, 2. Mr A. C. Ross, the supervising grader, commented on the high standard of the cheese and butter entries at the show. The body and texture of the prize-winning cheeses were good, although in the others some looseness was evident. In the finish of the exhibits an improvement had beeen brought about, and this would be appreciated on the London market; Complaints about cracked rinds were becoming pleasingly fewer. The butter was very choice and gave some concern in making the awards, so that those not figuring on the prizelist were also to be congratulated. Results of the grading competitions were a tribute to the skill and judgment of the boys. The table of quantities of produce graded at South Island ports showed at Lyttelton a decrease of 24 per cent, on cheese, 16.4 per cent, on butter, with a slight decrease in the average grading; at Timaru, a decrease in quantity of 18.2 per cent, of cheese, 6.1 per cent, butter, with a slight increase in grade; at Dunedin an increase of 4.93 per cent, cheese, 3.47 per cent, butter, with a slight decrease in grade; and at Bluff an increase of 10 per cent, cheese, 17.9 per cent, butter, with a slight decrease in grade. The previous year, the position of Canterbury compared with Otago and Southland had been reversed. Professor W. Riddet, director of research at Massey College, then addressed the meeting on questions of interest, particularly to cheese makers. He discussed at some length the influence of feeds on the quality and quantity of milk; the influence of different starters on cheese quality; and the influence of mastitis on the composition of milk and its influence on cheese grading.