CALF REARING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3783, 17 July 1936, Page 7

CALF REARING

TE AWAMUTU CLUB. M'AJNY MATTERS CONSIDERED. A meeting of all interested in rearing better calves, preferably handreared, was convened by the executive of the Te Awamutu Calf Club on Thursday afternoon. Mr A. S. Pattison, the convenor, presided. The chairman explained that the object was to advance the plans for encouraging school children to undertake the rearing of calves and to compete in the series of district school competitions towards the end of the year and also at the annual A. & P. Show, in February. He understood the Government had provided a subsidy of £2 2s; from the Education Department, which has taken over the administration of the Calf Club subsidy provided by the Government. Mr Melrose, the secretary, read correspondence on the subject, in which the Club was asked to forward formal application for a subsidy to the Auckland Board of Education. Correspondence was read from the Pirongia school-master, seeking fuller information about the Calf Club movement, with a view to the Pirongia School participating. Information from Paterangi indicated an interest also. YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUB. Mr P. Balfour suggested that a small committee visit the several districts and explain the proposals. This would encourage the children, under the supervision of their teachers and school committeemen, to participate. He added that the Calf Club movement was encouraged by the education authorities, and it seemed probable that the movement would develop into Young Farmers’ Clubs. Mr Pattison said Young Farmers’ Clubs were doing splendid work in Australia, and it was a very big feature of agricultural activities there. It was mentioned that Mr Connell is the Departmental Officer directly concerned with fostering the movement, and that gentleman was keen to co-operate with local organisations. Mr Balfour said Parawera started as a Young Farmers’ Club, and had already held very successful show competitions. He suggested that the district Calf Club extend its activities along lines adopted by the Young Farmers’ Clubs. Mr Pattison said the local Calf Club, already established, could extend as suggested. Mr Melrose thought the Young Farmer’s Club’s in other districts were primarily for young people who have left school. The Calf Club was essentially for school children. Mr Balfour said the Education Department was very keen to assist, but every activity of youth work on the land should be encouraged. Of course, a Young Farmers’ Club must include Calf Club objectives in its activities. Mir A. S. Wyllie mentioned the movement throughout the district to secure a consolidated or intermediate school in Te Awamutu. He thought the work of the Calf Club could be developed. Last year’s results were not so satisfactory as in the previous year. For instance, records of selfrearing should be kept, for comparison, and a good step forward would be to enthuse the school teachers to check those records. Such records were an essential feature of success for the Calf Clubs. He suggested that perhaps a prize could be offered to the school presenting the best set of records each year. TEACHERS COULD ASSIST. The chairman agreed, and pointed out that teachers could assist the children competing by instructing them in the preparation of records. He felt sure many younger children would rear calves if they received instruction and encouragement in keeping their records of management. Mr Balfour commented that written records did not come into consideration last year when show-ring judging was proceeding. If recordkeeping was to be encouraged, the judge’s awards should be withheld until the records were compared. It may even be wise to alter the basis of points on which the judge placed the winners. Dairy condition was 45 points, but it was obvious that no hand-reared calf would be paraded if it was not in good condition. Tractability now only gets five points; he thought it should be allotted a greater precentage. The chairman admitted that it was difficult to compare written records with show-ring awards. Recalling the judging at the last show, he said the judge had assured him that the best show-ring animals paraded were well clear of the others, irrespective of the written records—that placing had been confirmed by the first animal later winning at Cambridge and Te Awamutu Shows. Actually the calves to gain the first four places were all winners at their respective schools. Thus those independent judges in unrestricted classes, confirmed the decisions of the Calf Club officers. Mr Hamilton Allen said he was firmly convinced that the judges were right in their decisions. The subject was not pursued further. MEETING AFTER SHOW. At Mr Balfour’s suggestion, it was decided to convene a general meeting of the Calf Club within one month of the A. & P. Annual Show, so that suggestions noted at the show could be discussed while they are fresh in members’ minds. Mr Melrose moved that steps be ta-♦Jp-n to form a Young Farmers’ Club Te Awamutu district. He explained that the Agricultural Department sponsors the Young Farmers’ Club' movement. The chairman mentioned that the local Calf Club is really only a subsidiary of the A. & P- Association which has provided the necessary funds. Mr Balfour said he understood Mr Connell, of the Agricultural Department, was desirous of explaining the Young Farmers’ Club movement to the Calf Club members. He suggest-

ed asking Mr Connell to deliver an address. Mr Melrose’s motion was then put and carried. SIMPLIFYING THE RULES. Mr Allen inquired if there was no way of simplifying the rules. He suggested deleting the written records from consideration when showring judging takes place, the records could be made purely a matter of school interest—tljey were instructive and educative, and therefore he would not like to see the written records discontinued. Then came consideration of the Club’s rules, to determine whether any should be amended. Argument ensued regarding the rule reading “Competitions will be held at each local school during the first ten days in February, and a certificate awarded to those calves grading over 70 per cent, of points and a ribbon given to the first, second and third best calves.” It was desired to delete the phrase “during the first ten days in February,” so that the school competitions could take place just before the mid-summer holidays. It was claimed on the contrary that the Club could arrange for these competitions during the first ten days of February to be judged by the Club appointees. Mr Wyllie agreed that the rule should be a little more flexible than at present. Tokanui school favoured judging just before the mid-summer vacation, because then the calves are ready for weaning, the six weeks’ holiday period usually sees the children away at the seaside, and the first ten days of February are the first ten days of the school’s new term. The phairman suggested that the final date for these competitions be, say, February 10th, it being optional for the school-teacher to arrange for a definite date for the competition at his school. Mr Wyllie said that would suit his wishes, and the meeting was in agreement. .WHICH SCHOOL 1 Mr Mandeno mentioned the difficulty that occurred where a juvenile, during the mid-summer vacation, transferred to another school. Which school should that calf be credited to ? Expressed opinion was in favour of the calf being eligible only for the school at which ’ the child attended for most of the year. Mr Pattison said there were difficulties. For instance, if the calf was left at the country school, after the rearer had left to attend at Te Awamutu, somebody would have to look after it in the final stages. It was proposed by Messrs Pattison and Wyllie, to provide a rule as follows: “Calves at A. & P. Shows, compete for a school at which the rearer is attending at time of entry.” An amendment to require a calf to compete in a competition in a district where it was reared irrespective of what school the rearer attends, was put forward by Messrs Balfour and Mandeno. It was remarked that only one High School pupil presented a calf for competition at the A. & P. Show. Mr Pattison said many town children had no facilities for rearing a calf, though quite a number would gladly compete if they could. Mr Melrose agreed, and said he would like to see calf-rearing encouraged at the Te Awamutu District High School. The motion was carried. A suggestion that secondary and primary departments of Te Awamutu District High School . should be two distinct groups was not pressed. Discussion next turned on the rule requiring calves in the competitions to be tattooed for identification purposes, and it was decided to adhere to this requirement. It was agreed to allow a member to nominate two calves in each class, but only one in each class may be exhibited at the A. & P. Show.

A TROPHY DONATED. Mr Pattison announced that the Te Awamutu Jersey Club had donated a cup valued at £2 2s for the best redigree Jersey heifer in the Calf Club competition. He added that it was desired to promote a field day, at which a Government officer would give a short address on the handling and rearing of calves. The field day would include a demonstration on cows and calves and was intended to be informative to adults and children alike. Mr Pattison said he understood there would also be a novice class, for children who had not previously gained placing in the other classes. Mt Balfour said he would like to see a special class for yearling and two-year-old heifers, restricted to animals that have gained a place as calves in previous years. This would indicate how the calves have developed. The chairman explained what had happened at past shows, and suggested that the purpose would be served by arranging for a class for two-year-old heifers in with and re r stricted to previous competitors as calves. It was agreed ,to make representations to the A. & P. Association in this direction. The points allotted to judging were next considered, and Mr Wyllie commented that the ten points for completeness of record of feeding were adequate, but the judge at the show should not have to take them into consideration, that part of the work could be done by a special sub committee of the Club, which would receive the books of record from the schools not later than December 10. Mrs Pattison suggested that the schools compete for the best-kept records. Small prizes could be provided by each chool Committee. The three best books at each school could be forwarded to the Calf Club committee for selection of the best school. Keeping records could be made compulsory, so that no school record would be forwarded respecting a calf that was not competing. Mr Mandeno said he had last year urged that more points should be allocated for condition than for type. The present percentage seemed to him very fair.

Mrs Pattisons’ suggestions were framed as a motion, and adopted. The chairman added that an analysis or summary of these records could be prepared for the information of the judge at the A. & P. Show. It was suggested that a standard oi record-keeping should be an essential

to eligibility for competition in the show-ring. It was suggested that a standard of ing calf need not be the property of the child or its parents. Now that the record of feeding is deleted from the show-ring judging the ten points allocated for these records were available for allocation in other directions, such as type, condition or handling, but it was decided not to alter these at present. It was also agreed that comparison be made to see that a competitor in the show-ring must first have obtained 50 per cent of marks awarded for completeness of records by the Calf Club committee. RECORDS OF FEEDING. Mr Melrose undertook to draft a specimen copy of a record of feeding—a copy to be sent to each school as a guide to intending competitors. Mrs Pattison offered to provide, a prize for the best record prepared by a child. ■ , Mr Balfour said he would donate a prize for the best Maori-reared calf at Parawera school. In a general discussion, Mr Pattison stated his observation of calves of previous years gave him the impression that calves reared on new milk for the first few weeks did best in after life. He added that a visitor to last A. & P. Show had been very much impressed by the splendid condition of the hand-reared calves. He said he had never seen better exhibits anywhere else, and asked for the Te Awamutu Calf Club rules for adoption in his own district. Mr Pattison went on to refer to the importance of securing and maintaining dairy condition. The best way to success was to stimulate dairy conditions as distinct from vealer condition. Dairy condition embraced the “ three wedge ” model; real type and dairy condition were nearly identical.