CONDITIONING CALVES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1939, Page 3

CONDITIONING CALVES

SHOW v. UTILITY CATTLE. DEFEATING EDUCATIONAL AIM. Is the conditioning of calves in the hope of achieving success at shows, irrespective of feeding costs, defeating the great educational object for which the Young Farmers’ movement was establised. • This subject was debated before a large gathering of formers at Garstang, Lancashire, by Mr George Bingham, St Michaels, and Mr Stanley E. Kippax, Lytham, two Fylde farmers. Mr Kippax said that although he was not a bigoted “show’ man, he believed the periodic exhibition of calves was essential in order to set an ideal and sustain the interest of the young readers. And if this form of incentive was necessary, it was also essential that the stock should be put forward in as good condition as possible to reveal their potentialities. at an early age, and the skill of those in charge. Mr Bingham said he was in agreement as to the great educational value of the’ movement, but took the view that its primary object was to investigate the economic side of calf rearing, with due regard to health and the ultimate purpose the animal was to serve. This aim was not be attained by costly methods, and overfeeding dairy heifers so that they became more fit for the butcher than the milking herd.