COMPULSORY PASTEURISATION.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 12, 26 May 1911, Page 4

COMPULSORY PASTEURISATION.

FAVOURED BY TARANAKI

FARMERS As it has been rumoured occasionally that the pasteurisation of the by-products'. of milk is to be made compulsory, a discussion on the subject, which arose at the annual conference of the Taranaki branches of the Farmers' Union, is interesting. Mr Swindlehurst (Eltham) moved and Mr E. Maxwell (a member of the executive) seconded : "That the pasteurisation of milk and whey be made compulsory." Mr Maxwell referred to this as the most important remit on the order paper, as it was one of the best means of stamping out tuberculosis in pigs and calves. Department experiments had proved this. Mr W. Swadling (Kaponga) said that in his district unpasteurised skim milk was giving better results than the pasteurised milk. The trouble was that there was too much filth on some of the farms, and too little inspection. Some of the farmers seemed to think that pasteurised milk could be put anywhere, in any dirty cans or troughs, and in any surroundings, and still remain sweet. Mr A. Hunter (Hawera) said .the experiments by the Agricultural Department were most conclusive.

Mr J. Conaglen (Opunake) said the experience or pasteurising whey at Auroa was very satisfactory-.

Mr R. T. Williams (Kaimata branch) opposed the remit, urging that the case for compulsory pasteurisation had not been made out. In the first place, it would cause a good deal of expense to dairy companies. But dirty surroundings, starvation, and exposure had more than skim-milk to do with the spread of tuberculosis. No pasteurised milk would remain pure if it were taken home and tipped into a barrel or some other utensil that had not seen water for a couple of years or so. He knew of cows tliat were often left standing in saleyarcls whilst a cold southerly gale was blowing for eight or nine hours. Then they would be driven for some miles, and placed into a corner of a so-called accommodation paddock, with six barbed wires for shelter. If they treated 18-months-old cattle like that "something must go inside." Mr R. Lambic (Pihama) said that if the herds were clean there would be no need for pasteurising skim-milk. Mr Maxwell : But if there's one cow unsound you make all the milk unsound.

Mr Lambie : Well, she must be put out.

The president said pasteurisation was a proved success, not only in reducing mortality from tubesculosis,' but in adding to the feed value of skim-milk and whey. Of course, starvation and exposure had much to do with it. Killing off infected cattle was urged, he said, but by the time they were found they had done mischief through their skim-milk being fed to calves. Were their milk pasteurised, there would be no danger of it. He thought the farmers should help the Department in this matter. The remit was carried by 13 to 6.