COUPLING CALVES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10545, 23 March 1920, Page 4

COUPLING CALVES

CHARGE OF CRUELTY. PROSECUTION FAILS. An information laid against R©gJ» nald Welsby (Mr B. B. Cooke) by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Mr R. Kennedy), on a charge of ill-treating fourteen; calves, was dismissed by Mr E. .Page, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court, yesterday. In the course of his judgment, Mr Pago said that the practice of coupling calves until they were weaned so that the mother of one of them could suckle both was not common in New Zealand, but apparently it was adopted in other farming countries. In the present case, the defendant had been at some pains to ensure that the collars used were suitable, for they had been specially made of broad, pliable leather, with a - connecting chain 1 of suitable length, and. with a proper swivel. He was of the opinion that the case for the prosecution had not been established. The calves in questjon were in a very forward condition, and looked sleek and well. The coupling* were of sufficient length l to enable each animal to move comfortably, and to feed or lie down freely. The calves in each pair were evenly matched in size and age, and the couplings were discontinued as soon as the animals were weaned. The evidence indicated that the running of two calves with eacb cow was not detrimental to the latter; in fact, one witness, an expert, had expressed the opinion that one calf would be quite unable to take the •whole of the milk from one cow, and that the running of' two calves to a cow was of advantage, in that it eliminated the danger of the overstocking of the udder and the dangers consequent thereon. In conclusion, he expressed the opinion that the adoption of the system of couuling calves was not more inhumane than the keeping of a dog on a chain, the keeping of a calf tethered to a fence or stake, or the working for long periods daily of bullocks in yoke.