BOBBY CALVES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 224, 21 August 1935, Page 5

BOBBY CALVES.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —“Progress” is coming on. Per haps he can now tell us how many stomachs a calf has; and which one is the rennet forming one which it uses till it can ruminate. Also, what otliei than “curds” he expected to find in t milk foci stomach, and what else becomes of any animal’s food if not obsorbed into the system. First, he blames farmers for not feeding the calves; then he calmly states they car live without if kept warm. Tut! Tut What dairy farmer has not been astonished at the way a calf just able tc stagger to its feet, will seek nourishment from its mother—and cleverly find it, too. “Progress” should spend a little time on a dairy farm. IS’ow is his opportunity, as farmers are very short of help. Get at it from daylight till dark, too. 1 am sure he would return a wiser if not a sadder man. He would learn that there is no analogy between a warm blooded mammal’s organism and the cold blooded feathered tribes. Little Johnnie will tell him a chick has no stomach also that no up-to-date farmer would use a “wine” bottle to fed the calves on account of the shoulder, which makes it hard to clean, and these bottle are washed and aired every day or they would soon become unpleasant. There, fanners get a beer bottle and attach an old rubber*

' inflation for a teat. It is neither trouble j I nor expense—in fact rather pleasant to feed the “bobbies.’ Teaching calves to drink is another story. I wonder what vagary of the mind, or secret inhibition, induces men to deem their neighbours ill-doers when they evidently j know so little about things! Keeping strictly to “bobbies,” take the binder I twine incident. Where in New ZeuI : land is binder twine being used in. early ) spring? Also, where are day-old calves I to be found, able to dine wisely or uuJ wisely? Certainly, not in the Manajwatu. All our calves of tender age can 1 : do is to stick their little noses in the 'lair, and seek their nourishment. Bear !in mind “Progress,” you attacked the ■ farmers, and bobby calves and others , 1 are usually looked after by the children and farmeresses. I wish I liad a pound , to-day for every calf I have fed, so I, 1 know whereof I speak. Well, as I in- J tend this to be my last “speak,” I hope our editor will let me finish—busy times these you know. ! I have never seen calves loaded on a lorry—that is the carriers’ business. , I have seen a sheep, with a broken leg in a railway truck, being trampled by 1 , the others. Accidents will happen with stock. The calf lorries call three times per week at this time—longer intervals ( later on. Now on our farm there were ■ actually cows and their calves, waiting i Ito be brought in, when time allowed, ! I when the lorry called last Friday and lit is not coming again till Monday. , These same calves must willy-nilly— j Hilly mostly—be kept nearly five days. In the.se cases, many farmers turn the calf but at night with its mother — ; a mistake, I think, as the longer she j has it the more she frets when de- ! prived of it. At the moment we have | seven or eight calves waiting for the ! lorry. All these sidelights “Progress’ ! would see if lie spent some time amongst the farmers. No. S.P.C.A. in the world can make porcelain from old bottles; therefore, if “Progress” lias the misfortune to dwell amongst the glass bottles, well, the inference is obvious. Fortunately I abide amongst j honest to goodness farmers who need | uo S.P.C.A.’s nor amateurs to teach, them how to manage their stock, they | are S.P.C.A.’s themselves, and I could ■ name some who summarily dismissed callous, and disobedient employees for their brutality in handling their stock—horses, cows, calves, and pigs not to , ; mention the dog. Take my advice ; (“Progress,” set up the triple monkeys. : Never believe all’you may see, for lie ! who believes everything he sees often < believes more than he se ® s j~J “llv i FARMEKJtbb.