JERSEY V. FRIESIAN

Southland Times, Issue 24055, 20 February 1940, Page 3

JERSEY V. FRIESIAN

To The Editor

Sir, —Mr Kalaugher still persists in arguing with himself regarding the grading figures. After trying to ridicule my statement that the North Island grade was going up and the South Island was going down, in a moment of weakness and blinded with prejudice, he published figures proving the statement correct. While he may be feeling very annoyed about his temporary lapse, why does he not be a man and admit it, instead of setting up a man of straw and knocking him down again? His reference to Canadian cheese was very unfortunate. If he thinks the published London prices are the ones the Canadian farmer gets for his cheese, then he shows colossal ignorance of his subject. Practically all Canadian cheese is sold in Canada and bought by merchants and speculators who hold it there from six to nine months and then deliver it to the London market as matured cheese where it commands a substantial premium, but the Canadian farmer does not get the benefit. Since I wrote the first part of this letter, The Southland Times of February 10 has come to hand, and I have made a close study of Mr Veale’s report as published, also parts that are not published, whether by design or accident I do not know. There are parts where he likes to use the soft pedal, passages that are of vital interest in this controversy. After having studied this report right through I am more than ever convinced that he deserves the title of breed propagandist. I am sure readers will agree with me after having analysed his report. Under the heading “Scope of Investigation (No. 4)” appears the following: “Chemical analysis of different types of cheese and the relationship between these and the opinion of graders and buyers as to the quality and texture both in New Zealand before export and in London at time of sale.” On this vital question he is strangely silent; yet it settles the point at issue beyond question. Here is what Mr Veale himself admits: “It was expressly stated again and again by the London committee that cheese must give the impression of containing a fair proportion of fat in order to command full market price.” Mr Hayes, of Henry Lane and Company, has stated, in continuation of remarks already quoted, “a majority of English consumers prefer a milk cheese, but it must be fatty and buttery to be ideal; the public does not like a lean dry cheese.” Buttery is the popular description for fat cheese, Mr Veale calls it greasy. As an example of the type of cheese considered ideal let me again quote the remarks concerning batch O of Jersey cheese manufactured from milk averaging 4.48 per cent, butterfat. “Broadly summarizing the results of the season we observe that Jersey milk made up into cheese which has more consistently pleased the taste of New Zealand graders than did either of the other two for the greater part of the season. The Jersey cheese manufactured graded 92 points or more, whereas the low-testing varieties fluctuated mostly between 90| and 91 points.” This is what Mr Veale likes to keep in the background and Mr Kalaugher shouts, “I will certainly refute every suggestion that high-testing milk makes better cheese.” The result is just the same as that published in Van Slyke’s book, written 30 years ago, which Mr Kalaugher refers to as ancient history. The Hawera test is just a repetition of the experiment referred to by Van Slyke, so that Mr Veale is 20 years behind the times. Let us deal with No. 6 in his report: “Can any variation from the straight butterfat basis of payment for milk for cheese-making be devised to compensate the lowertesting supplier for the increased yield of cheese to pounds of fat derived from the milk?” Two methods are possible, says Mr Veale, by employing the ratio of casein to fat occurring in the milk, but it is proposed only as a temporary measure to accelerate a change-over to low-testing cows, after which the straight butterfat system would again be introduced. Note the wording of that paragraph. When Mr Veale gets his breed established he would reintroduce the very system he now condemns. Would it not be more intelligent and more profitable to eliminate the low-testing strains, since the weight of evidence in his Hawera experiment gave the verdict to the cheese made from high-testing milk. Surely this is the more rational way. No. 7 in the report says an economic waste of butterfat is occurring whenever milk containing more than four per cent, of butterfat is made into cheese. What are the whey separators in our factories for? Are they simply monuments to the stupidity of the directors who installed them? Further on he states that a return to lower fat test in our cheese-making milk is imperative, recommending a policy in direct contradiction to the results of his Hawera experiment. Further on he states that this can best be done not by any attempt to skim in part or otherwise modify the milk of hightesting cows —may I ask why not and who is going to prevent it?—but by the widespread adoption of lower-testing breeds in cheese-making areas. One minute he condemns the present system of payment, next minute he says he will reintroduce it. He recommends milk testing 3.7 despite the fact that his Hawera experiment showed the best cheese from milk testing 4.48. Might I ask whom are we going to ' please, the London consumer or Mr Veale? Further on he states we will probably damage the reputation of our product if we lower the present richness. Readers can draw their own conclusions from that statement.

In conclusion I would just like to ask Mr Kalaugher and Mr Veale why Friesian breeders are doing their utmost to get the tests of their cows to a higher level, and when they do so, proudly advertise the fact. They know perfectly well tha't male stock from these animals is much in demand. They know from past experience that they are working on sound lines and I am quite satisfied that most of them understand the most economical way to produce quality cheese better than Mr Kalaugher or Mr Veale.—Yours, CtC " A. McFADYEN. February 15, 1940.