asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will furnish a return showing (1) the number of gallons of whole-milk normally taken to make one cwt. of (a) creamery butter and (b) farmers' butter as manufactured, assuming 3½ per cent. of butter fat in the milk and the statutory 16 per cent. of water in the butter for sale, (2) the average number of gallons of separated milk and of buttermilk, respectively, available from the manufacture in creameries of one cwt. of butter, (3) the quantity of whole-milk normally needed in the manufacture of one cwt. of cheddar cheese, (4) the quantity of salt normally included in one cwt. of creamery butter, (5) the average price per gallon paid for whole-milk at creameries throughout the year and the average inclusive price taking into account the value of the skim and buttermilk resulting from the manufacture of butter, (6) the estimated output of (a) creamery and (b) farmers' butter in each of the five years 1950 to 1954, inclusive, and (7) the average yield of milk per cow, and the total yield, in each of the five years 1950 to 1954, inclusive.
Written Answers. - Milk and Butter Statistics.
The answers to the various parts of the question are as follows:—
(1) (a) 262 gallons, under average conditions of salt and curd content of the butter.
(b) 293 gallons.
(2) Under average working conditions at creameries, the figures are 210 gallons and 17 gallons respectively. Where "break-water" is added during the process of manufacture of the butter, the latter figure is increased proportionately.
(3) 112 gallons on average but the figure can vary, depending on the composition (fat, salt, water content etc.) of the cheese.
(4) 1.7 lb. on average but the figure can vary from 0 lb. for unsalted butter to 2.24 lb. for mildly salted butter.
(5) The average price paid by creameries in 1954 for the butter fat contained in milk supplies was equivalent to 18.66 pence per gallon of the whole-milk supplied.
The separated milk is, of course, generally returned free of charge to the suppliers. Where the separated milk is retained at the creamery, it is paid for separately and in such cases the average price of the whole-milk was increased to 20.9 pence per gallon. Buttermilk is not normally returned to milk suppliers and its value cannot, therefore, be assessed in terms of a milk price.
|
Creamery Butter |
of Farmers, Butter |
|
|
cwt. |
cwt. |
|
|
1950 |
736,868 |
369,000 |
|
1951 |
651,084 |
329,000 |
|
1952 |
659,132 |
326,000 |
|
1953 |
703,325 |
363,000 |
|
1954 |
786,275 |
378,000 |
|
Average Yield of Milk per Cow |
Total Yield of Milk |
|
|
Gallons |
Gallons |
|
|
1950 |
425.5 |
514,200,000 |
|
1951 |
408.4 |
485,700,000 |
|
1952 |
412.8 |
478,600,000 |
|
1953 |
440.1 |
516,500,000 |
|
1954 |
443.7 |
534,000,000 |