Lessons in Dairying

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19626, 21 October 1933, Page 15

Lessons in Dairying

The Milk Plant Monthly publishes the following observations by H. A. Ruebe, Ph.D., chief of the Department of Dairy Husbandry, University of Illinois, on the World's Dairy Congress held at Copenhagen;— Denmark is considered the leading dairy country of Europe, If not of the world. Surely, one could not visit a country with such an enviable reputation, even for a very short time without bringing back some suggestions which may be used with advantage in one’s oWn country. The world recognises the quality of the Danish butter; and the outstanding reason for such high quality butter is probably “co-operation.” Likewise, if we should ask the chief reason for Danish success In pork production the answer would again be "co-operation."

No doubt this answer Is correct; but It is somewhat misleading If we stop with the one word “co-operation;” we must dig deeper into the subject and learn Denmark's interpretation. Denmark Is primarily an agricultural country. About 76 per cent, of its total area Is utilised for agricultural purposes, and an additional 9 per cent, is in timber. Most of the remaining 15 per cent, is such that it cannot be used for any agricultural purpose. There are In all about 206,000 farms having cultivated areas of not less than .55 hectares each. (A hectare is approximately 2.47 acres). About 65 per cent, of the farms contain less than 15 hectares each (37 acres), and 97 per cent, have areas of less than 60 hectares each (148 acresi. Thus It can be readily seen that Denmark is a country of small farms as we view them. An overwhelmingly majority of the Danish farms are owned by the farmers themselves less than 8 per cent, of them being tenanted. Animal Husbandry. About fifty years ago Danish agriculture realised that there was considerable overseas competition in the production of grain. Consequently the Danish farmers, aided by efficient co-operation of the State, turned to animal husbandry in order to take full advantage of the cheap foreign grain. Many countries attempted to handle the competition by establishing grain duties. The Danish fanners were extremely wise in their move since it established them as an important dairy country; and they have consistently held that reputation. For fifty years Danish agriculture has been Increasingly adapting Itself to animal husbandry, based upon an intense cultivation of the soil and on the importation of feeding stuffs. The Danes have endeavoured to cultivate the greatest possible quality of feeding stuffs, depending upon imported oil cake to balance the rations of their livestock. Cattle feed has received first consideration, and the growing of cereals for human consumption has been expanded beyond Denmark's ability to furnish feed, and consequently about 30 per cent, of its grain and fodder requirements are imported. The Important lesson from the foregoing is that fifty years ago Danish agriculture recognised an opportunity and took advantages of it; and thus I co-operation between the State and | the farmers created a big industry. A second big lesson Is taught by the i Danish organisation of Its agriculture. Denmark realised that in order ; to meet competition of foreign coun- | tries it would be necessary to give ! careful attention to the proper buying I of the Imported feed stuffs in order to buy to the best advantage. Col operative buying societies were established to take care of this for the great number of small farmers. Overhead Organisation. The small farmers also experienced , some difficulties when selling independently; and therefore co-operative selling agencies were established, the various commodities having different organisations. There is a sort of overhead organisation called the Lnndbrugsraadet (The Agricultural Council) which represents all phases of agricultural Interests in their dealing with the Government and with foreign countries.

DENMARK IS LEADING COUNTRY

No doubt one of the greatest accomplishments of the Danish organised agriculture has been its ability to market Danish butter and bacon with such marked advantage. They have recognised the value of the British market and have realised that to maintain that market they must consistently produce products of the highest quality. Consequently they have organised to control the quality of the raw material in order to uphold the quality of their manufactured products.

About 90 per cent, of the dairy farmers are members of co-operative dairies. Each farmer member is under contract to supply a certain plant with milk of desired quality. The plant man is the judge of the quality. If a farmer attempts to deliver a poor quality of milk, It will not be accepted. Furthermore, he cannot sell this milk to a competing plant, since no one will accept it. He must deliver quality milk. Just think what this means to the butter makers of Denmark! It would seem that this is a big lessen for organised agriculture in this country. It has been the quality of the raw material that has given Danish butter the big marketing advantage over competitors who have sought the same markets. It should be said that the Danish methods of manufacturing butter are not better than those in this country. In fact, many of the small plants are only moderately equipped and they do not compare with some of the large modern plants of this country (U.S.A.). However, they are all able to produce a uniform quality of excellent butter.

If one wished to be critical, one might question Denmark's policy of home consumption—or lack of home consumption—of its own products. In 1929 its total butter output was 179 million kilograms. The home : onsumption of butter was only 19 million kilograms of magarine. If the United States as well as other butter producing countries adopted a similar policy, what would happen to the world butter market?