CALF-RAISING TO ABSORB DAIRY BY-PRODUCTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 31

CALF-RAISING TO ABSORB DAIRY BY-PRODUCTS

Chamber Of Commerce Bulletin Predicts Large Returns

IX AX exhaustive study of the uses of surplus dairy by-pro-ducts the latest Canterbury Chamber of Commerce agricul- . tural bulletin says that no attempt has hitherto been made in Xew Zealand to explore the possibilities of calf-raising. After elaborating two methods of doing so, recently tried at Lincoln College, the bulletin expresses the opinion that if all calves * ere reared to vealers by such methods the cash returns from calves alone could be made to exceed by £500,000 the present cash returns obtained from all dairy by-products.

Pigs, says the bulletin, are usually considered to be the most economical converters of feed into meat; but as far back as 1870 it was recorded that a good calf would produce one pound of meat for every two gallons of inilU, as r*gainst the pig’s one pound for every four and a-half gallons of inilk. Recent investigations by Lincoln College tend to confirm this, and to show that meat meal is the most effective of all supplementary calf feeds. It is therefore suggested that, even at the expense of postponing the pig-feeding peribd for three months, by rearing all surplus dairy calves, and by feeding them in the manner outlined for 12 weeks, the total cash return obtained from dairy by-products would be considerably increased. According to the latest statistics, says the bulletin, the dairy cows in New Zealand annually about one and a-quarter ipllhon calves, and since about 29 per cent, arc required for the replacement of dairy cows, there are approximately 1,000.000 calves which could be used to convert skim milk and whey I into valuable meat and by-products. At ! the present time about 300,000 are killed ns “bobby** calves, and a certain number killed as vealers; but the majority are killed on the farm at birth. The few calves that are reared do not consume all the skim milk and whev; pigs are also fed; and about 500,000 pigs are fattened annually. Hence, disregarding the unknown return from vealers, the total cash returns obtained from surplus dairy by-products are about 500,000 pigs at £2 10/-, 300,000 “bobby” calves at 8/-, and the cash value of the skins of farm-slaughtered calves, making in all a total of about £1.500,000. Work at Lincoln College during the last two years has shown that, provided meat meal is used, excellent calves can be reared in 12 weeks on skim milk or whey. Each calf requires for a start not more than eight gallons of whole milk* where skim milk is available, and not more Mian 11 gallons of whole milk

where whey is available. Where skim milk is used, the calves will consume 200 gallons of skim milk and 25 pound of meat meal, added at the rate of two ounces a gallon. Where whey is used, the calves will consume 200 gallons of whey and double the quantity of meat meal. With meat meal at £l2 a ton the meat meal will cost about 3/- a calf where skim milk is fed* and 6/- a calf where whey is fed. At the end of 12 weeks average calves weigh about 260 pounds where skim milk is used, and about 220 pounds where whey is used; and should yield dressed carcases of 130 pounds and 110 pounds respectively. When veal is worth 4d a pound dressed weight to the farmer, each carcase would return about £2, and if all the surplus dairy calves In New Zealand were reared to thre/3 months, the returns from these as veal would be about £2,090,000. It is, therefore, suggested that, by rearing all calves to vealers. and feeding by the methods outlined, the cash returns from calves alone could be made to exceed by one-third, or £500,000, the present cash returns obtained from all dairy by-products. This plan of rearing calves does not eliminate the rearing of pigs, but merely postpones the pig-feeding season for three months. Hence, by a suitable adjustment of pig-management, the total cash returns obtained from surplus calves could still be increased as at present by a large cash return from pigs. Since calves arc produced, whether reared or not reared, and since pig numbers can be rapidly increased, the production of each can be regulated according to relative prices. For example, with pork at above Bd, and veal at below 4d a pound, calf-rearing would be less proiitable than pig-raising. In two detailed tables the bulletin sets out the methods used in feeding the calves, showing the exact propor tions of the various ingredients.