The Dairying Industry.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4380, 2 March 1909, Page 3

The Dairying Industry.

SECOND PRIZE ESSAY

Tbe second prize, offered by the Te Aroha A. and H. Society at its recent Show, on the above subject, was won by Miss Letitia Given, her sister Isabella, gaining first honours. The Essay reads as follows: — “ New Zealand is so well adapted for dairy farming that it is now carried on over almost all parts of both islands, but Taranaki is tbe greatest dairying province. In 1906 a decrease was distributed over all the provinces save Taranaki, which realised an increase of l‘lo7cwt.

The good reputation which our Dominion has gained for her creamery butter on the markets of Great Britain has been well maintained during the last few seasons. A few complaints have been received in connection with the flavour of the butter, but these have not been so numerous as hitherto. Still, a

large amount of butter passes through the grading stores which merely score the minimum number of marks for first grade. Better raw material and closer attention to well-known principals of practical butter-making are required to bring good improvement. The predominant characteristic of our creamery butter is a lack of cleanliness in flavour, which was particularly pronounced during the 1906 season. Weak body, greasiness and loose texture, and excess of free moisture is often noticeable in butters coming forward for export from those creameries where there are no “ freezers.”

It is to be regretted in the interests of the welfare of our industry, that private dairying is increasing so fast, particularly in cases where small dairies are being erected under conditions which make it impossible to torn out a good produce. During tbe last few years a large number of private dairies have been erected in close proximity to creameries, even where high prices are paid to suppliers. In 1900 there weie 326 registered dairies, whilst in 1906 there were 556 registrations on an increase of 230.

The exportation ~f milled butter has shown no signs of decreasing ; large quantities still come forward for shipment at .the principal ports each year. 'Although much was of a fairly good quality, a considerable portion was of inferior quality, some four or five boxes being condemned as unfit for human consumption. A great deal of the milled butter could be shipped in better conditions, provided it was collected more frequently and forwarded more expeditiously to the freezing works. While our butter industry has been steadily improving; our cheese-making has not been at a standstill and during the last season or so more interest of a general nature than before has been taken by the dairy farming population of New Zealand in the cheese industry. This has been brought about chiefly by the increased demand and higher prices for cheese as compared with the butter prices. Some people like white cheese, that is the natural colour of the curd, others prefer them coloured. The yellow cheese is obtained by using a preservative called Annatto. It does not seem to matter as to the price of cheese, whether coloured or not. The flavour of the cheese is not faultless and this is she most difficult point to overcome. What is desired Is a clean, sound pure flavour in anil cheese. Our cheese may not possess these qualities, but this may in the majority of cases be put down to impure milk, the responsibility of which must be borne by tbe farmers. More cheese should be manufactured in this Dominion for the following reasons

(a) The cost of building and equippage of a cheese factory is less than the cost of a butter factory. (b) Competition in the cheese branch is not nearly so keen as it is in the butter branch.

(c) The demand and prices for cheese have in the past been very good and the future outlook is bright. Milking machines are rapidly coming into favour amongst dairy farmers, nnd it seems that the time is not far off when the machines will be in active operation in every dairying district in the Dominion. Many dairymen, who have used these machines for more than one season express their intention to continue to milk by mechanical powers. The opinion has been formed that if successful milking machines are introduced wholesale into the Dominion, large landowners and capitalists will take iip dairy farming on such a scale that it will resut in an over production of butter and cheese. However, as long as we produce good butter and cheese, a ready sale will be found for them in the open markets of the world.

Each year sees a rise in quantity, quality and prices of our dairy produce. In 1904 the total value was £1,623,354 an increase of £173,021 over the previous year.

Although the quality of the creamery butter for 1905-6 season did not show any marked improvement ever that exported the previous year the standard of quality has been - well maintained. The grand total that year amounted to was £1,878,500. The cheese for 1905-6 valued at £376,098. Thus it will be seen that there was a very substantial increase in last year’s output amounting to 34402 cwt valued at £106,646. The class of butter has shown an improvement, the most striking feature being in the flavour. More butter and cheese was exported in that season than in any of the previous ones. The butter exported amounted to at £1,661,303. The cheese amounted to 176,379 cwt valued at £562,743 making a total of 485,698£cwt valued at £2,224,246

• Taking it on the whole then, it cannot but be said that the dairying industry is satisfactory and profitable to all those employed in it.