BOBBY CALF DESTRUCTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 34, 17 December 1943, Page 4

BOBBY CALF DESTRUCTION

THE annual organised killing and marketing of tens of thousands of bobby calves in the Dominion and the relation of this practice to the role we are expected to play in the post-war years as a potential source of supply of livestock for the famished countries of Europe was mentioned to a Beacon representative by Mrs M. M. Dreaver when visiting the town last Tuesday in connection with the campaign tour in the interests of the Women's Land Service. The discussion centred round the debateable possibilities of saving- the bobby calves by a national scheme which would provide tracts of Crown-held lands for the purpose, pooling the calves from each county and holding them until such time as they were available for breeding. The females she contended, if not wanted immediately for over - seas could be drafted to stock soldiers farms of which there were an increasing number annually without depleting other herds, while the beef cattle could be likewise slaughtered and marketed at five times the value of the marketable bobby calf to-day. Mrs Dreaver contended that it was a wicked and wasteful thing to wilfully destroy the young calves., many of them from pedigree and high grade, herds, and heavy potential producers of dairy commodities, when it was recognised that the world in a year or two would be crying out for just such animals to provide for the staining peoples of Europe. It is also a well known fact that many agents buy up the pick of the bobby calves as they arrive at the works, and after turning them out to gra7e for a few months turn them over at a handsome profit. Why then could not this be done: on an all-embracing scale which would not only materially benefit the'farmers but would also be providing for the day when this country, untouched by war, will be called upon to help its neighbours in one of the first urgent acts of the new world order based on the Atlantic Charter. It is recognised of course that it would be quite impossible for the average farmer to save and rear every animal which was born on his property, but if an effort were made to have a poolp ing of young' stock at central points in the main dairying districts, the senseless killing of thousands of potential producing animals would be turned to a profitable account foi the country as a whole and would also be serving the vital needs of humanity abroad. We have felt that our visitor's suggestions provided sound food for thought, and have therefore thrown the matter open for the benefit of readers opinions.