DAIRYING IN WAIKATO

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1931, Page 7

DAIRYING IN WAIKATO

PRICES AND PRODUCTION.

NEW SEASON OPENING WELL.

Hamilton, August 3. Although the reports of all the dairy f companies in" the Waikato have not yet been isued, sufficient has been published to indicate that there has been an increase of from 5 to 12 per cent, in production of dairy produce, and that the final payments for butter will average over Is. per lb. butterfat, and for cheese from lid. to Is. per lb. butterfat over the whole season’s supply. Advance monthly payments during the season varied, and ranged from 9d. to Is. 2d. for butter and from. Bd. to Is. for cheesei Some of the smaller companies show an increased output of as hi°-h as 22 per cent., but this has been due partly to transfer of supply from other factories.

At the beginning of the 1930-31 season the prospects for cheese! were distinctly good, and farmers who had an oppor- ; tunity of supplying cheese factories did so, while dual-plant factories concentrated on the production of cheese at the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, the prices for cheese became lower in proportion than the prices for butter, the consequences being that butter proved the more profitable product on the season’s operations. Some gener-. ous bonus payments have been promised for the end of the current month, but the fact must be ‘borne in mind that these are based on the finest quality, and that deductions for share capital and for the repayment of advances made by the companies for the purchase of fertilisers and stock have to be made from the bonus.

Taking it on the whole, the last dairying season was not as good as its immediate predecessors, and the production -of individual cows was down. This is borne out by the returns of the New Zealand Co-operative Herd-Testing Association, which show that of the 95,832 cows tested in 19.30-31, the average yield was 243.941 b. butterfat percow. In the previous season 94,085 cows were tested, and the average production was 262.731 b. of butterfat per cow. Last season was ushered in with cold weather and a succession of frosts in the spring. The summer was a good one, but the autumn was dry snd caused a shortening of the lactation period of many cows. The prospects for the coming season, are better. Stock have wintered well, and there has been an ample supply of supplementary .fodder, while the grass has responded to the copious rainfall. In many districts the new season, has been advanced a month, and the dairy factories are busier than usual at this, time of the year. With heavier advance payments pn August 20, as the result of the improved supply of milk and cream in July and the substantial bonus payments to be made at the end of the month, the lot of the Waikato dairy farmer is fairly good. During the last few years there have 'been fewer sales of properties than was the case in the years 1919-21, and those who have been settled for some years have had time to create reserves and to consolidate their finances in a way that will enable them to regard the* present period of low prices with equanimity. People who are in constant touch with farmers in the Waikato state that this position is fairly general, and that the stability of the majority of the dairymen is unquestioned.