Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-21
Reported for the VERMONT FARMER.
EAST ST. JoHNSBURY FARMERS
CLUB.

Subject OF discussion Friday evening, Feb.
18th Raising calves"
s. Huse: 1t requires great deal of skill
to raise calves and do it cheap. The idea is
TO make the calves thrive, and at the same
time save the cream for making butter
commence to learn them to drink when three
days old, and use milk not quite sour, and
usually succeed in making good drinkers of
them the third feeding. think it best to al
ways give them enough so they will be con-
tented; avoiding milk that is too cold, and
also what we call blue sour milk, as this al
ways tends to derange their stomachs. AZ
ter thus feeding four or five months they may
be weaned and will make good cattle. Oc-
casionally we find a calf that will not learn
to drink, or if they do it is very reluctantly,
and they will stand and SILVER. The best
treatment for such is to kill them immedi-
ately, for they will never be good for any
thing.
j. G. Hovey: This question requires more
talent than we have got here but we can
tell our experience. Mr.. Huse says, " feed
calves till they are five months old" They
are calves till they are year old, and require
milk, or good substitute for that length OF
time. They are very tender things, not at
all matured, and require the strictest care
for at least the first year, summer and win
ter. | should not attempt to learn them to
drink on sour milk. 1t is unnatural. You
have got to break the rules of nature, and
new milk is not any too good for them Mt
first. After they are initiated, Of course use
skim milk, but think it is not well to turn
them out to grass while feeding them; better
let them eat hay. Some think late calves
are not worth much, but / do not see much
difference, if they are properly tended. The
great object should be to keep every creature
growing continually as long as you have
them. Feed them very extra when young
summer and winter and keep them free
from lice.
A. Il. Hovey: | think Durham calves
learn to drink more readily than Others but
| have had great deal of trouble with these.
1t requires great amount of patience under
the best circumstances. do not agree with
the last speaker in regard to commencing with
new milk. always use skim milk without
any difficulty. l always feed regular, and
vol to mix in shorts with the milk, and af-
ter two weeks they will eat little hay, and
at the end of five weeks they can have meal
without injury. | turn them to pasture as
soon AS there is any grass, feed but once n
day in July and wean them so gradually
that they do not know it. The above method
does not apply to weak calves, and those that
are late. They require very extra care.
w. NJ. Hovey: Always scald your meal
for calves, and warm the milk by turning in
warm water. Don't be afraid of getting in
too much. If it is half water it is just as
WELL and in this way of feeding there is no
danger of disordered stomachs. Milk should
sour in twenty-four hours to ne good and it
never should be kept longer under ordinary
circumstances. Always keep them free
from lice from the very first. This can be
done by applying Kerosene oil in very small
quantities. 1t is a curious fact that calves
will get lice even if taken Immediately from
n COW, and placed in . barn that has not been
used for II year
G.. Stiles: | never let my calves suck at
all. Give them new milk till two weeks
old, then sour milk and oat meal right along,
while have any, till they are yearlings.
You will find it n great advantage in break
ing heifers not to allow the calf to suck. |
think it is II good plan to salt the milk often,
and add little sulphur to prevent lice. 1t
is a noted fact that Devonshire calves can
not be brought up on skim milk.
Mr.. Owens: | have raised calves for 20
years or more, and I always let them suck
from three to five days, and sometimes longer
in cold weather, but not because | think it
any better generally TO wait so long before
learning them to drink. | suppose the quick
err you learn them the better. When take
them from the COW | feed warmed skim milk,
not quite sour and then gradually use sour
and thick milk. When three weeks old add
n handful of oats and after this they will
chew their cuds and do nicely. do not find
it injurious after three weeks to feed oat
meal without scalding. turn them out as
soon as there is any grass, and continue
feeding milk rs long rs have any. hate
to kill young calves so much that ! some
times raise those that really do not pay for
the trouble. In these cases of sickly or late
1 calves frequently givethem to my children,
and they are glad to take care OF them if |
will save their lives. My girls all have II
COW that they call their own,
ID. Goodall: | have very nice yearlng,
and calf-both were late, and fed only on
sour milk and hay, SO that | attribute their
excellent growth to my warm stables My
stable is Just rs warm rs my house, and the
calves seem to grow just rs fast in winter as
summer. This is rs 1t should he for no one
can afford to lose the growth of cattle dur
ing the winter, which must be the case in a
great measure If stables are cold,
The above remarks were followed by
more general conversation upon this and
kindred subjects. which were very entertain
/ ing and profitable. Some of the members
are very humorous and mirthful, and their
display of jokes, before and after the discus
sion, gives tone of mind calculated to in
spire confidence and familiarity, and at the
close of the two hours occupied by the club,
each feels that it has been very pleasant
MS well as profitable meeting.
Subject next meeting; "What is the most
profitable crop to raise, and best method of
cultivating itP" r. RIsLEY, SEC.
Reported for the VERMONT FARMER
PASSlIMPSIC FARMERS CLUB,