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Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 31 (Supplement)

Comparisons with the erection of the first faclory at Toko emphasize the extent to which conditions have changed in 40 years. Tire first building was built by the Crown Dairy Co. in 1894, as a butter factory, but lay idle for two years as it was found impossible to install the machinery owing to the bad state of the roads. The farmers had got all their cows ready for supplying the factory, and after that setback took a few years to recover again. It was only towards the very end of the century, in fact, that dairy farming as it is now known began to develop. In 1901 additions, were made to the factory for the making of cheese, and three vats were provided. In the following year the factory joined Stratford on a co-operative basis, and has remained so ever since. It is interesting to note that in 1901 three vats could easily cope with the production of cheese; before the erection of a new factory difficulty was being experienced in managing with seven; now provision is made for ten.

In 1923 the Dairy Division inaugurated the system of examining for moisture one box of butter from each churning. The object was not only to more strictly enforce the regulations pertaining to moisture content in excess of the legal limit of 16 per cent., but also to draw attention to butter which contained too little moisture.

It was in the year 1912 that farm dairy' instruction had its beginning. The first dairy company to conduct this service among its suppliers was Kaupokonui, the officer being Mr. E. Beatson. The Government pays half the salary of farm dairy instructors, and training for such positions is given at Massey College.

The new “Regenerator” installed at the new Toko factory, claims to have solved, in the best possible manner, the problem of pasteurising milk entirely out of contact with the air, and there can be no doubt that directors and managers of other cheese manufacturing concerns will follow the results obtained with the closest attention. The machine is compact in appearance, simple in structure, and efficient in operation. It effects an extremely careful heat treatment of the milk, which is regenerated and cooled out of contact with air, thereby conserving the carbon dioxide and chief vitamins. There is no loss of milk through evaporation, no chance of importing a “cooked” flavour, and the consumption of steam is reduced to an absolute minimum. Moreover, tests made by the Danish State Experimental Dairy have proved that the plate apparatus, even at a heat of only 73 deg. C. will effectually destroy all coli, abortion and tuberculosis bacteria.

The Egyptian civilisation possibly dating from 4000 8.C., left many in pictures to indicate the use made of cattle in their day—methods of herding, breeding and dairying were common with them. At that early age cattle were branded with hot irons for identification, before being driven to a common pasture in the spring.