1904.] 



Dairy Farming in Sweden. 



427 



Returns the quantity imported into the United Kingdom in 

 1903 was 212,000 cwt. 



Owing to the increased attention paid to dairying and the 

 efforts made to improve the breeds of cattle, the number of stock 

 in Sweden has steadily increased since 1870 from 1,966,000 to 

 2,583,000 in 1900. Foreign breeds have been largely imported, 

 and at the present time the Ayrshire breed is distributed over 

 the central and southern parts of the country, where Shorthorn 

 herds are also found on many estates. The red-and-white 

 Swedish cattle, more or less resembling Ayrshire and Shorthorn 

 types, are also distributed over central Sweden, and a society 

 has been established for the improvement of this breed with a 

 herd-book in which 215 bulls and 2,838 cows were registered 

 in 1903. 



From an account of the dairy farming industry recently 

 published by the Swedish Government, it appears that until 

 about 1870 dairy farming was confined mainly to dairies on the 

 large estates. At that time, however, dairy companies began 

 to be established, which purchased milk and cream for conver- 

 sion into butter, and in many cases maintained branches where 

 the milk was collected only, the cream being conveyed to the 

 central dairy. Early in the nineties co-operative dairies came 

 into existence, owned and worked by a considerable number of 

 small milk producers. These dairies have materially contributed 

 towards enabling farmers who only produce small quantities of 

 milk to turn their produce to the best advantage, and have made 

 it possible to count dairy farming in Sweden as a manufacturing 

 industry. In about 80 per cent, of the dairies butter alone is 

 produced ; in rather more than 10 per cent, cheese alone ; and 

 in the remainder both commodities are made. The total pro- 

 duction of cheese, however, is scarcely sufficient for the home 

 demand. 



I Dairies vary much in size, the quantity of milk dealt with daily 

 ranging from, perhaps, 100 gallons to 6,000 gallons or more. In 

 most cases, the dairies are very well constructed, with floors 

 ; of asphalte, cement, limestone or slating, and are equipped with 

 I good machinery and appliances. The motive power is steam as 

 la rule, though in some places water is employed. Dairy work 

 has been largely done by women ; now, however, in the larger 



