Dealing with the bobbies

Farmers, criticised for sending bobbies off to processing plants, have been urged to look at beef calves as the industry edges towards a 'no bobbies policy'.

However, beef calves have been selling at local saleyards for as little as $10 each, making farmers question whether anyone who thinks they can replace bobby calves with more beef calves has thought this through.

There's also a push by Fonterra and others for bobbies to enter a value stream but farmers are finding it difficult to find a processor which is fully staffed and operating at peak.

The industry needs to stop, take a deep breath and rethink the whole campaign around the future of bobbies.