Milford chronicle., 1914-12-25
SLAUGHTER OF CALVES

The slaughter of young calves is one
of the serious phases of the problem of
/ the maintenance of our country's beef
/ supply. Statistics indicate that the
slaughter of such animals is increasing
rapidly due primarily to an increase in
the demand for veal, in spite of the fact
that veal is ordinarily sold at an extremely
high price per pound.
These veal calves are largely drawn
I from the dairy districts, but, with the
growth in the demand for veal, other
sections are marketing as veal in con-
siderable numbers calves that, If kept
and fattened would have made good beef
steers. The market for stockers and
feeders is therefore affected.
Various suggestions have been made to
prevent this, even such radical ones as
Legislation to prohibit entirely the slaugh-
ter of calves. The fact is not always
recognized, however, that this practice is
purely economic. In dairy districts, milk
production is the chief business and
calves are an incident, valuable only to
replenish the milking stock or for such
revenue as may be obtained from their
sale as veal AS the average dairymen
must keep the number of his mixers at
a maximum, economy demands that he
relieve himself of his surplus calves as
soon as possible. As there is not ordi-
narily any market for such calves except
for veal veal they become. The slaugh-
ter of calves in districts which are not
exclusively devoted to dairying probably
has as its governing factor market near
by which paws more for calves as veal
than as stockers.
A comparison of English and Ameri-
can methods in this respect sheds some
light on this problem In England men
make business Of buying young calves
throughout the dairy districts to be raised
on milk substitutes and subsequently fat /
tened for beef. In England the dairy
cows are largely Shorthorns whose calves
are valuable for beef production. In the
United States, on the other hand, the
cows OF the dairy districts are principally
of the strictly dairy breed (pure breds or
gradesl or natives with no breeding, and !
the calves from such cows have, as a rule, !
little value as feeders for beef, but make |
good veal.
As the calves in a dairy herd are not !
Of paramount importance, a system of (
breeding which would increase their 4
value for beef production would not nee
essarily decrease the dairy value Of the |
herd when grade or native cows are used. !
If such cows were bred to beef or dual |
purpose bulls, the calves would have |
value as stockers. This /
practice would not be warranted, how |
ever, unless there was a nearby market 4
or such stockers. It must also be OBJ 4
served that this practice necessitates rais-
ing calves by hand, largely on milk sub /
which adds to the expense, and /
calves so fed are not so easily raised as /
where they follow the COW until weaned 4
The labor item is likewise /
important, as this system demands not I
only considerable amount of labor but I
Of skill also. In England skilled farm F.
labor is cheaper than in the United States.
Another possible solution of the prob
lem would be an increase in the mutton
in the United States. We
consume annually per capita 4 pounds
Of veal. which is 4 per cent of our total /
meat consumption; the people of Great
Britain eat 4 pounds of veal per capita
annually, which is per cent of ther an
nual per capita meat consumption We
consume 6H pounds of mutton and lamb
per capita, which is about per cent Of
our total, whereas the British people
consume % pounds of mutton and lamb /
per capita, which is p per cent Of their
lnnual meat consumption.
An increase in our mutton consump. Y
ion at the expense of the consumption
If veal would, of course, tend to make
ialves less valuable as veal and would
a system of breeding which
would bring them into demand as stock
rs. An increase Ia mutton consump-
ion would also eucourapre the farm. rofe
ng Of sheep, and this could be brought ,
bout on dairy farms without affecting
be economy of management from the ]
airy standpoint A small flock Of sheep
n farm will increase the productive {
ess Of the farm, keep the farm clean Of ]
reeds, and add to the family meat sup
ly without entailing serious additional
xpense for feed, labor, or shelter. i