BUTTER QUALITY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21184, 6 August 1940, Page 7

BUTTER QUALITY

EFFECT OF CLOVERS WAIKATO FARMERS’ HANDICAP TE AWAMUTU COMPANY’S YEAR (Times Special Reporter) TE AWAMUTU, Monday The unfavourable effect of cloverpredominant pastures on butter quality was indicated by the chairman of directors of the Te Awamutu Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, Mr E. H. Rhodes, at the annual meeting of the company today. After referring to the unfavourable conditions in the early part of the past season affecting the quality as well as the quantity of the company’s output, Mr Rhodes said that when the flush of feed came, there was a great predominance of clover in pastures. This persisted until late November and early December. In its rank stage, clover was the greatest enemy to quality with which the Waikato dairy farmer had to contend, although careful management could greatly reduce its bad effects. A great improvement in quality could be obtained if the cows were taken off the clover paddocks a few hours before the afternoon milking and turned into a paddock with rough feed and a good water supply. Flavours Disappear By the month of January most of the pronounced feed flavours had disappeared, and the company was able to make some very fine butter from then onwards. This resulted in the company securing premiums of just over £SOO for butter grading 94 points and over. In this respect, however, Waikato factories were still a long way behind those of North Auckland, where paspalum predominated and where it was not unusual for factories to secure premiums equivalent to £1 a ton of butter made during the season. Waikato farmers, however, had undoubtedly a compensating factor in the much greater production of butterfat a cow. Increase in Pay-out In congratulating the suppliers on the substantial increase in the company’s output, Mr Rhodes said that the increase had been 296 tons of butter, equivalent to 13 per cent. The company’s total output of 2566 tons had undoubtedly been a considerable help to suppliers in meeting the steadily rising costs which farmers had had to face on the farms. The company’s payment for the season, said Mr Rhodes, was just under Is average over all grades, and not including cream cartage. Election of Directors A postal ballot to fill the two vacancies on the directorate resulted in the re-election of Messrs G. E. Churches and B. C. O’Connor, who had retired by rotation. Mr G. O. Jourdain was re-ap-pointed auditor. Increased Production They were probably facing the most momentous crisis in the history of the British Empire, said Mr W. Corby, consulting officer of the New Zealand Dairy Board. Britain had asked for not only men but for increased exports of foodstuffs. Greater dairy production would be assured first by a greater number of cows, secondly by keeping better cows, and thirdly by feeding better the cows they had. It had to be remembered that there was an estimated reduction in the cow population of five per cent, A longer lactation period was also a means by which production could be increased. Extending the lactation period by two or three weeks would mean an additional 101 b of butterfat and this would be no mean contribution to the total production. Mr Corby stressed the urgent need for increased production of bacon. Herd recording was also important and was the first essential step in obtaining information in regard to a better breeding policy. The only way of reducing costs was by increasing production, concluded Mr Corby.