REARING THE CALF.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1568, 11 October 1912, Page 8

REARING THE CALF.

A FEW GUIDING POINTS,

Indications this season are that the number of calves reared will be above normal. The demand, for dairy stock is increasing steadily, and with the present tempting price of beef it should pay farmers.to rear more steer calves than usual, provided they have the right class of stock for beef purposes. * • To obtain the best result?, the carelessness and laxity too often seen in calfrearing in .the past must be departed ti'om, and four points which should never be lost sight of bv the farmer are:—(l) To pasteurise the milk; (2) clean the feeding troughs thoroughly after each meal; (3) change the'calf paddock occasionally; ami (4) feed one of the established calf foods' with the milk. The necessity for pasteurisation as a means of checking the spread of disease must, by this time, have impressed itselfon every thinking farmer, and so with the necessity for cleanliness in feeding. Improper feeding is, however, a blot on many a farm, but when, in addition, the calves are fed from iilthv troughs and in filthy surroundings, the early life of tho animals is one long struggle against unnatural conditions. As a result, the I weaker animals goto the wall, and although those of stronger constitution pull through, they are considerably weakened in power as,a result, of the trials through which, they have passed. The calf paddock ou some farms has been the calf paddock as long as the farm has been a larm, and has never been changed or even turned over, in spite of outbreaks of disease in the young stock. A change of paddock .never does harm, but after an (Outbreak of any '(lisease it is imperative. The above remarks apply to calf raising generally, but when the stock is destined for the dairy there is even more necessity to see that a vigorous constitution is assured if the animal, when mature, is to give its maximum profit, as there as no animal which has to stand a greater strain on its constitution than the dairy cow. Given a good start in its infancy, and being brought on without a check, assures not only rapid development of the calf, but lays the foundation for the highest returns and healthy offspring.

The secretary of the Clvdesdale Horse Society, Sir. J. A. Rankin, is about to undertake a tour of .portion of the. North Island, embracing Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, and Palmerston North districts; n,nd there is a possibility, if time permits, of visiting tho Waikato at the same time. Mr. Rankin purposes spendtig at least a week in eaoh district, and picking up as many new members as possible. During the Palmerston North show there will bo a meeting of tho council, but the time is not yet definitely fixed.