GB and KM Cow Cubes

Promotional film for GB and KM cow cubes manufactured by Brooks of Mistley.

Apart from the main subject, cattle feed manufactured by Brooks of Mistley, this film shows good footage of the river front at Mistley and of a 1930's factory and laboratory. The film begins showing the raw materials arriving at the Quay at Mistley, firstly by steamer and then by sailing barge in full sail. There are good views of Mistley Maltings. The warehouse backs onto the River Stour and a long shot shows five barges lined up against the Quay whilst the goods are loaded by crane from the barges straight into the warehouse.The next sequence, the first of three shot in the laboratory, shows a chemist, Mr. MacKay, testing the raw materials. The next sequence shows the machinery inside the factory at work. Meal is discharged from a revolving mixing machine and then cubes are stripped from a fast rotating drum; the 'cubing machine'. The finished cubes are tested in the laboratory. The film shows Brooks' experimental farm. The cows are in their stalls, munching, presumable on 'GB' or 'KM' cow cubes. The milk yield is weighed and recorded before samples are tested in the laboratory by centrifugal separation in a hand cranked apparatus.The firms fleet of lorries leave the factory laden with sacks. The largest load, 20 tons, shows a fully laden lorry pulling a trailer. This is seen against the background of Mistley High Street. By way of contrast a horse and cart are seen moving off. The film ends by showing various prize-winning cows, all fed on GB cow cubes, and listing their prizes

Featured Buildings

Brooks of Mistley's Factory; Mistley Maltings

Keywords

Cattle; Cattle feed

Intertitles

For the benefit of our many friends who have not yet had the opportunity of visiting ourmills and experimental farm at Mistley we have brought them to you. The raw materials arrive by steamer motor vessel and sailing barge.The raw materials being unloaded.Testing the raw materials in our laboratory. Any unsound material is rejected.Meal discharging from one of the mixing machines.One of the cubing machines at work.Testing the finished cubes in our laboratory. Cubes are fed to cows at our experimental dairy. The milk from each cow is weighed and recorded.A sample of each cow's milk is taken and tested in our laboratory.Some of our lorry fleet leaving Mistley with loads of from 2 to 20 tons for farms and depots.'Lady Spotted Pearl' owned by R.G. Berkeley, Esquire, winner of Supreme Individual Championship, 1931. The National Milk Cup, 1930 and 1931. The National Butter Cup, 1930 and 1931 at the London Dairy Show. Fed on 'GB' cow cubes.'Terling Breeze 22nd'. Bred and owned by Lord Rayleigh. Winner of the Mond Prize, reserve for the Supreme Individual Championship and other awards at the London Dairy Show, 1931. Sole production ration 'GB' cow cubes.'Terling Unique 2nd'. Bred and owned by Lord Rayleigh. Winner of the Spencer Cup. Three first and extra prizes at the London Dairy Show, 1931. Numerous awards at the Royal and other prominent shows, 1932. Yielded over 2,000 gallons of milk in 1931 - 1932. Sole production ration 'GB' cow cubes.'Terling Skylark 18th.' Bred and owned by Lord Rayleigh. Yielded over 2,000 gallons of milk in 1931 - 1932. Sole production ration 'GB' cow cubes.

Background Information

GB and KM Cow Cubes were named after Grosvenor (or Gomer) Berry of Mount Bures and Keith Miller who provided the formulae. They sold for ?7 per ton. Lt. Col. Charles Attfield Brooks joined the family business of Brooks of Mistley in the 1920s after taking a degree in agriculture at Cambridge University. He was appointed a director in 1928, and retired (as Chairman) in 1971. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion the Essex Regiment (T.A.) and on its formation in 1939 was appointed second-in-command and served with in Africa and the Middle East. He has held many official posts in Essex, and was also an authority on the artist John Constable.