THe J0URNi\l9 



OF 



T^e ©eparfment of M^ncufture 



OP 



VICTPOKIA. 



Vol. XIV. Part 7. 10th July, 1916. 



THE RAISING OF DAIRY HEIFERS.* 



Jii/ R. R. Kerr, Dairy Supervisor. 



Considering the great shortage of dairy cows, consequent on the 

 unparalleled drought last year, with its attendant misery and death of 

 cattle, the subject under discussion makes a strong appeal to all stock 

 X'aisers. The price of meat to the consumer for the next few years will 

 be mainly influenced by the number of calves reared at the present time. 

 Our flocks and herds are depleted, importation on a large scale is out 

 of the question, and only one thing remains to be done-— the reservation 

 of desirable females for breeding purposes. While the object of this 

 paper deals with the subject from the stand-point of the dairyman, and 

 only advocates rearing the best calves, the grazier has a problem to 

 solve in securing cattle to supply the meat markets, and it will be to 

 his interest to see as many calves reared as possible. 



Many calves can be reared in the Western and Gippsland Districts 

 at a very cheap rate, owing to the abundant supply of skim milk. In 

 the past, I am doubtful if it paid to rear steer-calves on the dairy 

 farm; but, for the next few years, the j)rices will be high, and the 

 rearing of calves will considerably augment the farmer's income. This 

 applies more esjjecially to the farmers who hitherto failed to take 

 advantage of that much-neglected food, skim milk. 



The large amount of skim milk always available ai)pears to disparage 

 its value, but no other food lias the same ])roperties for building bone and 

 muscle. The time is not far distant when its full value will be realized, 

 and the farmer will then look back to the time Avhen he doubted its value 

 at Id, per gallon, and sometimes poured it down the drain, ^fany are 

 the cases when farmers, returning from the creameries, emptied their 

 cans on the roadside. If it had been syst^'matically applied to their 

 own land, the loss would have been lessened, as some of its manurial 



• In writing this art ide I am In It-btod to Mr. H ><t,-..r Honlmnun nt the Research Farm, for 

 many valuable Buggostlons. 



7 662. 



