FARM PRODUCTS

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2314, 22 March 1930, Page 5

FARM PRODUCTS

ELIMINATION OP THE CULL COW. THE BOBBY CALF INDUSTRY. Yesterday, at the invitation of the local ,branch of the N.Z.F.U., Mr S. Lye, chairman of the Auckland branch of the Dominion Co-op. Farm Products Federation, addressed a meeting of farmers at the Oddfellows' Hail, Cambridge, dealing with the -bobby calf industry and the elimination of the cull cow, matters that this gentleman has been closely connected with for some considerable period. • '

There was an attendance of about 20 farmers.

Mr H; Watkins (president of the Cambridge Branch of the N.Z.F.U.), who occupied the chair, briefly introduced the speaker. Mr S. Lye in his opening remarks stated that on the last; occasion he addressed a meeting of farmers in Cambridge he had said some hard things, when he had urged them to improve the quality of calves supplied to his company. To-day he was in the happy position of paying them some compliments. He was proud of the company's achievements during the past few years. Farmers could not have got anything like the return for their calves and skins but for his firm's operations.' The skin market had been in a bad condition, but still they had beqn able to make good returns. To-day the federation was exporting the finest calf skins to bo had in the whole world, a fact of which all should be proud. Mr Lye dealt at length with the propaganda that had been used against his company. He urged the farmers to coordinate their efforts, for unless they were in the position of putting their efforts in one united co-operative concern they might as well go out of business. Improved Quality. Mr Lye stated that on the first year's operations of his company 14 per cent of the bobby calves sent from NewZealand were condemned. Very strong opposition had been used against the scheme in consequence. For the second year no less than 18.5 per cent was condemned with disastrous effect to the speaker, and greatly to the detriment of the industry. This was partially due to the negligence of the farmers. To-day, however, the position had improved so greatly that during the past year only 1.01 was condemned. Despite the strenuous opposition offered,, said the speaker, his company had done remarkably well. He declared that many farmers were selling their best calves elsewhere and giving the federation the small, poor ones. By doing this, he said they were killing the goose that laid the golden egg. That was not fair treatment to accord those who had pioneered the industry and done so much for the farmers. For the 1927 season the farmers had received 5/- per skin, the average weight being 35.261b5; next year they had received 8/- with an average weight of 35.4.41b5. Last year the-average weight had dropped to 33.531bs and farmers had been paid 7/- each." Trust Tactics. Mr Lye spoke at some length describing the tactics of the big trust companies handling bobby calves, skins, pigs, cows, bulls, etc., and declared the farmers were reaping what they had sown. He urged that they should support their own co-operative concern. Co-operative Marketing. Mr Lye stressed the value of co-op-erative effort in regard to all branches of their activities, and gave details of enormous co-operative concerns that had been found in America. The time had come when they should have a oneseller organisation for all their products —a proper system whereby everything would be bought at a price that it was actually worth. This could not be done in a minute, but the federation -was working in that direction, and was going further next year when owners of calves would be paid according to weight and quality of their supplies. Mr Lye added that the farmers had every reason to be proud of what their company had done in the past. Even better results would be obtained if they only gave their best support to their own company. By patronising other concerns the farmers were cutting their own throats. Improved Conditions. Up to this year they had had next to nothing but abuse and opposition, but this year they had been showered with compliments. The calves received this year were much better in every way. A cablegram from London was read congratulating the company on the quality of the calves, skins, packing, etc. Several experts from the Old Country had spoken most favourably of the industry. Cull Cows and Bulls.

Mr Lye stated that all that he had said with regard to co-operative effort in connection with the bobby calf in-

dustry applied equally to the cull cow and bull business. The first essential was loyalty, and he urged the farmers to go into the business wholeheartedly. The effort had been started with the primary object of preventing cull cows being sold, and thus perpetrating the evil of milking poor animals. This matter, said Mr Lye, had been a hobby of his for years, and he had brought it before a representative gathering of farmers at Hamilton last year, which had led to the present movement. The scheme was working well: An improved price was being paid for both cows and bulls. Prices were now going down, but farmers could depend on getting the economic market values. Even if prices went still lower, they would eventually be better off, and they would all benefit by the elimination of the cull or "dud" cow. Mr White's Rremarks.

At Mr Lye's request, Mr White, organiser for the cull »cow movement in the district, addressed the meeting. He gave a brief outline of the reasons that the movement had been inaugurated. He proceeded to give details of the working of the scheme, quoting various instances where farmers had received prices that compared favourably with salcyard prices. Undoubtedly the organisation had bettered things for the farmers, some of whom, however, had not supported them. Mr White suggested that a local committee be formed ,and thus manage their own business. Questions. Eeplying to questions, Mr Lye said he had endeavoured to bring in an insurance scheme for rejected cattle, but found it unworkable. Ho had interviewed the Minister re this matter. Their percentage of rejects was small, and the farmers had to take the risk. He was hopeful of a satisfactory answer to the representations made to the Minister recently on this matter. Appointment of Committee. After discussion, on the motion of Mr Griffin, seconded by Mr Mills, it was resolved that the Farmers' Union be requested to form a committee to support the scheme. Support for Movement. The chairman (Mr Watkins) expressed regret that there was not a larger attendance. He thanked Mr Lye for his able exposition of the important movement, and moved that he. and Mr White be accorded a hearty . vote of thanks; also that this meeting expresses its hearty support of the movement.

The motion was carried unanimously, with enthusiasm, and the meeting then terminated.