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New Buttermaking Processes Following inspection of several new types of buttermaking plants in Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden by Mr. F. H. Taylor, London Officer of the Dairy Division, and later by the Director-General of Agriculture, Mr. E. J. Fawcett, a recommendation was made by Mr. Fawcett that the Government should purchase a Senn machine from Switzerland and an Alfa from Sweden for the purpose of placing them on trial under practical conditions in New Zealand factories. Orders were placed for these two machines, and a general committee representative of the dairy industry and Government Departments concerned has been set up to control the trials and to report to the Government as to the value and merit of these new processes compared with existing practices of butter-manufacture. These machines introduce novel principles in buttermaking, and the results of the trials due to commence in the 1947-48 dairy season will be awaited with much interest. The committee referred to, and to be known as the Buttermaking Processes Committee, comprises the Director of the Dairy Division, as Chairman ; Mr. A. J, Murdoch, M.P., representing the New Zealand Dairy Board ; Mr. W. Marshall, the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd. ; Mr. F. Parsons, the National Dairy Association ; Professor W. Riddet, the Dairy Research Institute ; and Mr. G. M, Pottinger, the Marketing Department (Export Division). Market Milk The Dairy Division assumed responsibility for the administrative control of marketmilk treatment on Ist January, 1947, appropriate regulations, Dairy (Milk Treatment) Regulations 1946, coming into force on that date. There are at present some forty milk-treating houses in the Dominion, these being defined as premises where milk is pasteurized for sale for human consumption. A preliminary survey indicates that there is much scope for improvement in a number of milk-treating plants before they can be considered to be of a really satisfactory standard. Casein-manufacture For many years the manufacture of casein has been carried out at a varying number of North Island dairy factories. Since 1938 the market for this product did not warrant manufacture on an extended scale, but in April, 1946, it again became active, and during the current season, in addition to continued make by the Midhirst Co-operative Dairy Co. in Taranaki, eleven cheese-factories in the Waikato were changed over to either lactic or rennet casein, following the finalizing of contracts with the United Kingdom Board of Trade. The change from cheese to casein was in effect a change-over from cheese to butter supply, as in casein-manufacture all the butterfat in the milk is available for butter-manufacture. The United Kingdom Ministry of Food has, however, indicated that any further development in casein-manufacture should come from existing buttersuppliers, as it is not desired further to reduce cheese output by this means. Buttermilk-drying In the past years buttermilk, which is a by-product of buttermaking similar in protein value to skim-milk, has been very largely utilized for pig-feeding. It is possible to dry the product efficiently, and during the year some dairy companies in the Auckland Province have installed roller buttermilk-drying plants, and others propose similar action. The product can be used for human consumption in various forms, and is also a valuable animal foodstuff. Apart from the local market, there appears to be some scope for the sale of buttermilk powder overseas. Dairy Supply Control Order The Dairy Supply Control Order 1945, which has as its purpose priority for butterproduction over cheese to meet the requirements of the food situation in the United Kingdom, has been retained for another year. The administration during the latter

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