MODERN DAIRYING

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19648, 7 August 1935, Page 9

MODERN DAIRYING

UP-TO-DATE METHODS. NEW SOUTH WALES ESTATES. ' i CATERING.FOR EASTERN TRADE. That New "South Wales dairy farmers were progressive and adopted ultra modern methods was the view expressed by Mr H. A. Barnes, of Peria, 'Matamata, who has returned from a trip to that State. Mr Barnes referred in particular to two farms he had visited, one .the 'famous Onslow .Estate and the other at Roseberry near Sydney. j At Onslow there were five modern cowsheds each handling 100 cows, The sheds were elaborate structures of brick and tile, with a stream of water six feet wide and one foot deep running in a concrete channel in front Of . each. In these streams the cows were washed and then thoroughly groomed with curry-comb and brush. Two men did nothing else. The cows then passed on to the bails where they were hand-milked by milkers dressed In white (uniforms. The milk was pasteurised and from the pasteuriser flowed to large cans which were then transported to a city. All the yards were concreted- and there was no mud about. As an advertising stunt Miss Onslow had recently taken sealed bottles ol milk with her on. a four months’ trip abroad, and these were not opened until she returiled and gave a big party at which the milk had been drunk. Much publicity had been acoorded the stunt by the Sydney press. The object had been to prove the keeping i qualities of milk when hyglenically handled. While Mr Barnes was in Sydney the manager of the Onslow Estate had. left for China with 25 gallons of mills in sealed bottles with a view to opening up a ti’ade in fresh milk with that country. Mr Barnes was greatly impressed with the efforts being made by Australian farmers to secure new markets. ;.. . • Herd of 800 Cows. , On the Roseberry. farm, five miles from Sydney, Mr Barnes saw a herd of 500 cows milked In one shed. One hundred cows were bailed up -at a time and there were 24 milkers. No cow was released until the hundred were finished. Each milker had his complement of cows and any doing more than his complement was paid Id per cow extra. Twenty milk carts •drawn by ponies took the milk to customers In the city, and the parade was a fine sight as carts, harness and ponies were kept in 'wonderful condition, ■ While Mr Barnes was there an average of 12 cows In profit and 12 oows dried off were coming and going every day. 'The owner of this business died not long ago a millionaire and his two sons, now carry on. Most farmers on the South Coast he found, had a prejudice against milking machines and ■ the average number of' hands employed'Was about five to every 90 or 100 cows.