SLAUGHTER OF CA S

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume 49, Issue 7624, 18 February 1921, Page 4

SLAUGHTER OF CA S

Tile extensive slaughtering of calve- this se u-uii has caused some alarm io Cose who Hew the position of the farming industry from a national standpoint. As a con-.-eq nonce of reports showing that (his practice was very general, the Hon. \V„ Newwwrthy, Minister of Aerieulluro. cHTd for definite figures relating to slaughtering, from the sleek inspectors througont New Zealand, and the result he handed to voar eomspoiulcnl, remarking that the Run re showed that there is serious danger of a shortage of cattle in the future, and correspondingly high price:-, for those who wish In secure Mock for their farms. Where dairying i? extensively carried on the slaughtering has been most prevalent. For instance, in the Auckland district in counties where dairying is an extensive industry the percentage' of calves slaughtered is 57 per cent, equal to a total of 197,-'lßl calves slaughtered. In other Auckland counties where there is not so much dairying the percentage destroyed drops to 12, representing 9,361 calves, or a rotal of 1 1.6,842 calves slaughtered this season in the Auckland province. Though a large number of slaughtered salves are not skinned, especially as the returns from skins this year have been unduly low, the Stock Department has found that--92,456 calf skins had been received in the Auckland stores up till January 17 Details from other parts of New Zealand show that in the dairying district of Hawera, the percentage of slaughtered calves is 65, while in Wanganui district k drops to 50. Blenheim reports that 40 per cent of the calves of this season were destroyed, Gisborne the same percentage, while’ the Canterbury figures show a great range—two per ceiit in Rotherham district, 65 per tn Ivaikoura, 31 at Amberley, 75 around Christchurch, 95 per cent in Lincoln area, and 45 per cent around Ashburton. In the dairying districts of Southland and Otago the slaughterings are also very high, Invercargill showing a percentage of 90, Otautau 80, Wyndham 70 ; Milton <5, and Dunedin 65. But in such districts as Oaniaru, Lawrence, Kurow and Roxburgh, which are grazing or fattening areas, the percentage varies from two to 10 The figures show conclusively that this extensive slaughtering is a short-sighted policy. -