BOBBY CALF SKINS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20014, 12 August 1939, Page 11

BOBBY CALF SKINS

PREVENTING DAMAGE

CAIN'] RECOMMENDED With the bobby calf season now in full swing, farmers are again urged to take precautions to prevent damage to the calf skins .through careless handling.

As the skin constitutes approximately half the value of the bobby calf it will be appreciated that the prevention of damage is of vital importance to all associated with the industry. Tile value of the skin is dependent upon the preservation of the grain surface, without which it cannot be utilised for the most valuable purposes in the tanning industry.

After a careful examination of the circumstances and factors involved the committee has decided that the position cannot be met by amending the provisions of the relevant New Zealand Standard Specification, for the reason that the damage results from general causes which cannot be covered or defined, in the standard specification. Recommendations to Farmers Attention is drawn to the major causes of the damage and the following points are recommended to farmers: — (a) Avoid leaving newly-born

calves in rough growth near barbed fences or bringing them into the steading in a conveyance with rough surfaces; (to) avoid putting the calves temporarily in n sued or other hold-ing-place- with projecting nails, broken surfaces, or implements upon which they can do themselves damage; (c) avoid putting the calves at the roadside in pens which have rough projections, or tying them where they can damage (hemselvs against barbed wire, gorse, barberry, blackberry, or other brambles.

In transport: (a) Avoid the use of lorries with decks too low for the animals to stand upright withouti chafing on the back; (b) do not use lorries with rough surfaces or projections which would bruise the skin: (c) avoid rough handling of the calf in the railway trucks or the use of sticks, wire, or anything of this kind to push or prod the calves in the loading or unloading; (cl) allow no dunnage or other obstruction in the trucks or lorries which would bruise the calves if they lie down or are thrown about in course of truck or rail transport.