DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17133, 21 June 1927, Page 8

DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

BUTTER QUALITY FACTORS AMERICAN SCIENTIST ENLIGHTENS New lights were thrown upon the factors governing butler quality, both in the production of cream and the manufacturing processes, at the Dairy Conference at Sydney, in discussion between the visiting American expert and the factory managers. An address by Professor Hunziker, the American dairy scientist, at the Dairy Factory Managers’ conference, proved of absorbing interest to the members. In all the visiting expert spoke for three hours, about half the time in answering questions prompted by problems managers bad encountered in their factory work. In response to persistent appeals, lie promised to give further lime at the conference to-day. The longer he was in Australia, said Professor Ilunzikcr, the more lie became convinced—that the fundamental problems of the industry, particularly those of the manufacturing side, were very similar to those experienced in America. His remarks, however, left flic impression that in the United States the industry is not so well organised from the producers’ point of view, and the factory system not so advanced as it is here under the Dairy Industry Act.

The professor spoke of the profitable payments made by some factories for inferior cream as the curse of the industry in his country, which remark look the managers back to the conditions existing here some years ago, before the law insisted upon strict, cream grading at the factory and payment on grade. These and other points showed that the producer here is better safeguarded by legislation, and that our Government instruction and supervision generally tend lo the production of a more uniformly high grade article. Unprofitable World’s Market. In the essential matter of profitable and permanent markets, however, the difference was in favour of his own people. The tremendous population of the United States —120,000,000 people—was large enough lo consume the whole of Ihe 1,400,000,000 th yearly output of butter. They had this enormous home market because of the high standard of living, and similarly the prices were fairly high. The butter being sold at home, it netted the farmer quite a good living wage. “I cannot, by any stretch of imagination,” declared 1 lac professor, ‘‘conceive how any dairy farmers coula exist if we had lo depend upon the world’s market and world's parity prices, based upon the lower standards of other cheap labour countries.” Australia had relatively a tremendous butler production in comparison with its 7,000,000 population, hut farmers here had to depend upon the world's market, in spite of the efforts made to stabilise prices. Hence it was essential to produce the highest quality tu secure every penny the world's market would give. Professor Hunziker elaborated and aptly illustrated the. interdependence of the four factors in butter quality—cream quality, methods of manufacture, factory equipment, and supervision or management in the factory. He looked upon butter quality as either negalive or positive. The former was butter lhat was not had, and would keep, hut. lacked character. That sort j of product lied nothing lo recommend it. Positive quality was butter lhat had the breath of life, aroma, nutty flavoijr —the more you ate ihe more you wanted. It tickled Ihe palate, and brought repeat orders, and great credit to the butter maker, the factory, and the country. It .was ihe butler that would bring top prices in the world’s or any market. The Aids of Science. In answer to questions, Professor Hunziker explained at considerable length tiie scientific details and action in various phases of cream pasteurisation and neutralisation, and drew upon the results of American experience and experimentation in a helpful way. On the question of reducing natural high colour in some butters, he said, it was not possible to bleach butler by chemical process without damaging the quality. The amount of working given to butter, however, had something to do with colour, and the more it was worked the lighter it became. But there were objections to overworking. A matter of general public interest was raised in a question as to the effect of high temperatures in pasteurising on Ihe vitamin? content of milk and cream. As far as butter was concerned, said the professor, high temperatures had absolutely no effect on the vitamin? strength. Butter had been boiled for three hours without ill effect. It was very much the same with milk. Again long cold storage of butter, say, for nine months, had not the least effect on the vilamine strength, so long as the butter quality remained lit lo eat. In tlio business session, Mr R. A. Napier, Nambucca Butter Factory, contributed a paper on “The Business Aspect of Dairying,” that was brimful of practical points and good advice for cream suppliers.

A paper of special interest to factory managers was read by Mr If. McVeigh, of Bega Factory, on •‘•Losses in Butter Fat in Churning Sweet Cream,” in which he communicated the results of a scries of tests carried out in liis factory.