DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18951, 22 May 1933, Page 6

DAIRY INDUSTRY.

NEW REGULATIONS.

MILK GRADING APPROVED.

MR C. J. PARLANE INTERVIEWED

Commenting on the dairy regulations reoently gazetted, Mr C. J. Parlane, general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, said to a Waikato Times representative that he was of the opinion that these would, generally speaking, be acceptable to the dairying industry. Indeed, he said, the department was to be congratulated on at last deciding to make the grading of milk supplied to cheese factories and creameries, compulsory, with differential payments according to the grade supplied. He said it has been one of the anomalies of the industry that the cream supplied to dairy companies was submitted to a grading system, whilst milk could be supplied from the same farm, and this would not come under grading regulations; however, the new regulations would place the milk and cream supplier on the same footing. Mr Parlane said that the whole of the milk and cream received from suppliers to his company had been graded for many years past-,' and payment made according to quality, and in consequence, to suppliers to cheese factories, creameries and milk-powder factories, the grading of milk .would not be a new experience.

Good and Bad Milk. He said -it was not difficult to determine good quality milk from milk of poor quality, and this could be accomplished If graded on the senses. However, the check tests provided in the regulations should place the classification beyond any doubt. The regulations provided that finest quality milk, shall be such that if manufactured separately by approved methods without pasteurisation, it would make a finest quality cheese. In this regard, said Mr Parlane, it would be almost impossible to rigidly enforce the regulations, for the reason that the tests available will not disclose whether cheese made from a particular milk would be close bodied or allowing mechanical or slit open ness, and either of these faults would cause cheese to be graded down; however, this difficulty was not sufficient to cause any serious trouble. A general tightening up of the regulations in respect of the installation of milking machines, condition of milking sheds and the treatment of milk and cream while on Hie farm was undoubtedly in the right direction, and would no- doubt prove -to be of material assistances in raising the standard of quality of both our butter and cheese.

Whilst the regulations generally speaking, may appear to be somewhat drastic, Mr Parlane said he had not the slightest doubt that they would be administered by the director of the dairy division and- his officers in the same reasonable manner they have adopted in the past.

IMPROVING QUALITY.

MORE IMPARTIAL GRADING

FARM INSTRUCTION IMPORTANT

“The prohibition against suppliers changing their companies during the manufacturing season from August i to May 31 will enable cheese and'milk graders 'to take a more impartial view,” said Mr W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division, in an interview with a Waikato Times representative. “Suppliers who forward an indifferent quality, and who, if their milk or cream were, graded down, would be likely to leave, or threaten to leave, a company for another one, will be checked. “The clause still leaves it open for a supplier to change companies during the winter months of June and July. “It is considered that this clause will appeal to the great bulk of shareholders in dairy companies as being fair and equitable. Dairy companies have to provide not only accommodation for suppliers, but they must, at the beginning of the year, provide for all requisites required for manufacture and export. It is only fair, therefore, that suppliers who commence dealing with a company in the springtime should continue supplying the same factory for the full season. Otherwise companies’ costs for overhead and manufacture are likely to be unnecessarily increased.

“Tlie regulations provide for the ■increase of the minimum points for first grade cheese from 90 to 91. “It is considered that this will mean some uplift.in the lower quality first grade cheese, and therefore to our cheese as a whole.

“The present percentage of second grade cheese is considered to he too small to induce the greater effort in the direction of higher quality.

Compulsory Differentials

“ One of the most important, if not the most important,; regulations, dealt with in the amending regulations is the paying of compulsory differentials for tlie different grades of milk supplied lo cheese factories and skimming stations. The regulations of March, 1932, made grading compulsory but did not make compulsory the payment of differential prices according to grade. It- was deemed wise to, give the suppliers to cheese factories some experience with tlie grading of milk prior to bringing in tlie requirement of payment according to grade. “According to the latest regulations dairy companies are required to pay differential prices as from August 1. "It. is considered that tlie grading of milk and differential prices, linked up with farm dairy construction, should he‘of considerable importance in the obtaining of a good quality milk supply from day to day at cheese factories and -skimming stations. ■

"Unfortunately, owing to tlie unfavourable economic conditions, tlie dairy producers of the Dominion as a whole are of the opinion that they can scarcely afford the expense of Dominion farm dairy instruct Ton at present. “The percentage of 'suppliers, however, which is in favour of Dominion farm instruction appears to he Increasing year by year, and it would appear that sooner nr later this instruction on a Dominion basis will have lo lie faced by tlie Industry. A Good Investment. “It/ is becoming more evident each year that such a service would prove (Continued In next column.)

a good investment for tlie industry From tlie standpoint of securing a higher quality dairy product. “As far as your own Hamilton and tlie surrounding district is concerned, tlie dairy companies have taken the initiative in regard to farm instruction. Th-ey are greatly to be commended for Hils. “Tlie proviso for the supply ,of milk at factories before 9 a.m. will improve tlie quality of milk and cheese through several causes. The longer milk stands in the sun the worse it will become, that is obvious. If delivery lakes place before 9 a.m. the milk will naturally lie sweeter and sounder. As well as that, if tlie milk arrived in good time the factory staff will not lie inclined to rush quality a I the expense of time. "There have been so many amendments to the regulations of 1926. A lot have been reseilidcd, while others have been substituted. Therefore tlie present regulations are largely a matter of consolidation, and bring in also rules urgently needed by Die industry.’’ concluded Mr Singleton.