CALF-REARING.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1922, Page 8

CALF-REARING.

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUB COMPETITIONS. The South Taranaki Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs’ 7 first calf-rearing competition was brought to a conclusion, so far as the first stage is concerned just before Christmas, says the Star. There were originally about 207 entries, and of these 166, or 'about 83 per cent, were presented for competition. The calves were judged on condition only, and not on dairy type, and in each group the first calf was awarded the maximum of 100 points to simplify the marking down of the remainder. A hundred points were Allotted for cost of feeding as disclosed by charts, and this was arrived at by adopting an inverse ratio system. For example, if a calf cost £3 (or 60s) to feed the 60 was subtracted from the 100, and the remainder, 40, was "the total of the marks awarded under the heading of cost of feeding. If a calf \had cost, say; onty IGs, 100 —16 —84, then this calf scored 84 points under this heading. An interesting fact disclosed was that the average cost of feeding each of the whole 166 calves judged was £1 10s sd. The group averages were ps follows: — Group 1 (Mokoia, Ohangai, and Ararata), £1 2s sd.

Group II (Okaiawa, Tokaora, Matapu, and Mangatoki), £1 16s. Group 111 (Oeo, Otakeho, Pihama, Manaia, and Auroa), £1 17s 7d.

Group IV. (Kaponga, Kapuni, Riverlea), £1 4e Bd,

Group V. (Ngaere, Te Roti, Rawhitiroa, Mata, and Finnerty), £1 9s 6d,

In Group 1 Ararata school., for. 10 calves, showed only an average cost of 15? 6d for feeding each c f. the lowest being Ella Munro’s, fed on skim milk and bidi bidi tea at a cost of 6s 24d. John Munro’s, similarly fed, costs 7s 104 d. But the quality apparently suffered, the former’s calf receiving only 60 points for condition, and the latter’s 55. The calf that scored full points for condition in this group and ultimately won the championship was fed on new milk and “Faterine,” at a total cost of 10s 9d; it belonged to Henry Lundberg. Otakeho school had the highest average—> £2 Igs 4d for seven calves. The most ex-, pensively fed calf here wgs Linda Putt’n Jersey, costing £4 2s Ofil for new milk, whey, and Tui meal. It was awarded 90 points, fqr condition. The next Maggie Indah’s Holstein, cost £4 Is Od for new pjilk apd ipilkj f»ud made 93 points for condition. Dorothy MojUrle’s Jersey was given full points for condition, and cost £1 4s lljd for new milk, calf meal, and whey.

Matapu produced the most expensively fed calves in the competition. A Shqrt-fiprn-Jersey entered by Phyllis Hgpry cost £5 10s fid* n PIV mfik; Faterine, and Moose meal, and gained 88 points for condition, and one similarly fed and entered by her sister, costing £6 17s 6d, was awarded 89 for conditiqn. The best calf in this school was Katfifpen Knight’s ghqrthorn, fed on new ;qiik, Faterine, and sßim milk, at a cost of £1 2s 94d. Ada Downey's Shorthorn scored 98 at a cost of £1 3s 7Jd, fed on the same ingredients as the ia r st, A Mangatoki Jersey scored 98 for condition, at a cost of 16s lid for new

and skim milk and Faterine. Patty Bradford’s Holstein at Auroa scored the maximum for condition at a cost of 19s 9d for new milk, Gilruth’s linseed, Meggit’s, and whey. Joe Jones’ Holstein at Finnerty Road was awarded 100 points for condition at a cost of 17s 5d for new milk, whey, and linseed, and his brother’s entry got 97 for an expenditure of 16s 7d, similarly fed. CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS. Harry Lundberg (Ararata) • Cost of feeding 89, chart 32, condition 100 —total 221, 1. Dorothy Wood (Rawhitiroa): 754, 48, 96—2194, 2, Jack Whittington (Rawhitiroa) : 821, 38, 95—215 J, 3. Annie Julian (Riverlea) : 91, 35, 82— 208, 4. Ada Downey (Matapu) : 764, 40, 90— 2064, 5. Edith Downey (Matapu): 76, 42, 88— 206, 6. As had already been pointed out, the judging in the recent 'competitions was on condition only. At the forthcoming Egmont A. and P. Association’s summer show there will be classes for these same calves. On this occasion, however, they will be judged on dairy points in their several breed sections. For the greatest convenience of all concerned arrangements have been made to have the calves judged on the morping of the second day of the show, commencing at 10 o’clock sharp.