Calf club’s M bovis workaround
When Mycoplasma bovis threatens to destroy a cherished rural tradition, you find a way around it.
A small rural Waikato school is doing that with parents at Whitikahu School near Hamilton creating an on-farm calf club. It comes after the Ministry for Primary Industries recommended rural schools cancel calf clubs due to concerns the animals could catch or spread Mycoplasma bovis.
The on-farm calf club means that instead of bringing their pet calves to school for judging, a judge will travel to each individual farm. The school will then hold a prize-giving where photos of each place-getter and their calves are shown.
Gordonton dairy farmers Annabelle and Steven Scherer are two of the parents behind the concept.
‘‘This is an opportunity for kids to still rear their calves and still do everything they would for calf club,’’ Annabelle says.
She appreciates why MPI recommended calf club days be cancelled with M bovis a huge concern.
Annabelle and husband Steven have four children – Charlie, 11; Gabrielle, 9; Henry, 5; and Archer, 2.
It is Henry’s first chance to rear a calf while Charlie and Gabrielle are old hands.
‘‘They are really into it,’’ Scherer says. ‘‘We’re really hoping it’s going to work.’’
Scherer approached potential judges, who said they were happy to do it. The judge will score on leading, rearing and dairy type.
The group plans to outline the concept in a newsletter for all parents at the school with calving under way on Waikato dairy farms and hope to get at least 20-30 calves entered for the October event. Scherer says the plan also has the full backing of the school.