ANIMAL INDUSTRY 457 



DAIRY INDUSTRY 



In the Union of South Africa dairying is a considerable industry. 

 Cattle can thrive on the natural veld for six or eight months of the 

 year in districts where the rainfall is good. Fodder crops grown 

 for dairy cattle include maize, lucerne, oats, teff grass, millet, 

 mangolds, rye, and cowpeas. The number of European owned 

 cows and heifers of over two years old was 2,150,471 in the census 

 of 1936. Many excellent herds of pure-bred cattle are maintained. 

 Creameries and cheese factories have played a l-arge part in the 

 development of the dairy industry, and, since the war especially, 

 their production has rapidly expanded. Butter production by the 

 creameries, which in 1927 amounted to 14,132,000 lb., had risen 

 in 1936-7 to approximately 31,800,000 lb.; the factory production 

 of cheese, which in 1927 was 6,001,000 lb. reached 11,200,000 lb. 

 in 1936-7. Registered creameries now number 58, and cheese 

 factories 116. Figures for milk production are not available, but 

 great improvement has recently been made, in both quantity and 

 quality. 



The division of dairying of the department of agriculture and 

 forestry, maintains officers in each of the four provinces, and their 

 functions include advice and instruction to farmers. Butter and 

 cheese for export have been compulsorily graded since 191 7; 

 whilst in 1927 a comprehensive milk recording system was inau- 

 gurated, milk recording having proved a great stimulus to breed- 

 ing. Under this scheme a test is made for the solids-not-fat con- 

 tents of the milk registered cows. Since 1930, in order that supply 

 and demand may be more equitably adjusted, a dairy board of 

 control has been instituted, on which, under the chairmanship of 

 the superintendent of the division of dairying, the various interests 

 of the industry are represented; the board makes use of a system 

 of levies and bounties; it also advises concerning registration of 

 creameries and cheese factories. The board makes grants towards 

 research and milk recording. A state aided butter and milk 

 scheme was commenced in 1935, with the object of increasing 

 internal consumption of these products; it consists in the supply 

 of milk to school children, or where milk is unobtainable, cheese, 

 and the supply of butter to certain classes of low wage earners and 



