GOOD DAIRYING SEASON

Southland Times, Issue 24755, 28 May 1942, Page 5

GOOD DAIRYING SEASON

Higher Production

Of Cheese

A successful dairying season in which production has been rather higher than usual is rapidly nearing its end. Throughout the greater part of the province, the small factories will probably close about the end of this week, but larger ones will be able to carry on for the first or second weeks of June.

The considerable rainfall during the summer months encouraged a strong growth of grass and production was maintained at a high level. In the early stages of the season, the milk supply was fairly good, but the peak period continued longer than in drier seasons when the pastures w i ere severely grazed From most parts of the province reports have been received of a very satisfactory output. The milk supply has fallen rapidly recently, but that is not unusual at the end of a good production season.

The quantities of dairy produce received into the Bluff cool stores for grading to the end of March showed an increase in the production of cheese, which was almost balanced by a marked reduction in butter. For the present season only 19 tons of butter were graded, compared with 131 tons during the same period of the previous season, indicating that butter production was little more than sufficient for local requirements. Actually, butter production in Southland has fallen far below local consumption during certain seasons of the year. The increase in the quantity of cheese forwarded to the cool stores to the end of March amounted to 414 tons. As most of this has been balanced by reduced butter consumption, it may be assumed that much of it is the result of the effort to meet the greater demand from Great Britain for cheese. The figures suggest that only a very slight increase in production on a but-ter-fat basis has occurred, but it is thought probable that the quantities received into store from April 1 to the end of the season will show a fairly marked increase. To the end of March, 12,329 tons of cheese were graded at Bluff, compared with 11,915 tons in the same portion of the previous season.