PAYMENT FOR BUTTERFAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1932, Page 2

PAYMENT FOR BUTTERFAT.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—“Sunshine” twits me for giving a somewhat lengthy quotation from Mr. Fawcett’s valuable article. He prefers, to use up your valuable space commenting on the weather, jam factories, and in • using terms of endearment. Howeverhe does, state that “each supplier. . . . is quite at liberty to estimate his returns on any basis he chooses,” How elucidating! Yes, there is indeed a farmer in Bell Block who thinks. that he has been hindered by. having received a greater pay-out per lb. fat. “Sunshine’s” memory must be short-lived, or else he could recall that pur dairying industry was, nearly ruined a very short while ago through this self-same striving after the greatest pay-out. In the same Way a directorate must give consideration, in forming a policy, not only to the immediate, 'but to the ultimate, effect of its decisions. Now, the policy as advocated by “Sunshine” would have the -effect of causing a checking tendency towards herd-testing, with'a corresponding falling away of the amount of cheese productioii per acre, with, of course, a necessarily smaller income to .the farmer. Risking repetition, I will repeat a small portion of Mr. Fawcett’s article in support: Test 3.5 to 3.8, payout per aero £4 os. Bd.; test 5.1 to 5.4, payout per acre £6 Os. 4d. (Not per , cwt., as you inadvertently printed in my previous letter.) Another point that is well worth keeping in mind is that with our high-testing milk we a,re exporting cheese of higher food value than any other competitive cheese entering the British market. A valuable sales asset, and one that must become a factor of importance as we gradually build up our trade again after our disastrous mad rush after “better payout.” “Sunshine’s” attempted simile of a jam factory, fruit, etc., is too flat to require comment other than to point out that the necessary amount of sugar to make the jam is not in the fruit, whereas the necessary amount of casein is in the milk to enable a cheese of .the highest food value entering the United Kingdom -to be manufactured. . This year’s grading reports, from time to time passing through your columns, are sufficient indication—and answer —as to whether a high-class cheese can be made from a high-testing milk. There is no “pot luck” or. any other sort of luck as to the amount of casein that whole milk contains. Incidentally, there is nothing to prevent the farmer with the low test from having a high test, other than his lack of application, and/Or his desire to be one of those disgruntled few who must always be “agin the Government.” —I am, etc., DAIRY FARMER. Bell Block, August 10, 1932.