Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-17
Stock 8arsing.
SOUR MILK FOR CALVES.

The Boston CuhiUator objects TO feeding
calves on sour milk, as was recently recon-
mended by our correspondent, Mr.. D. S.
Bliss, in The Weekly Times. Mr.. Bliss is
asked in all seriousness by the Boston CmL.
tirator if he would recommend feeding sour
milk to babies, or would take it in his coffee
in preference to sweet cream, and, if not,
how he could think Of imposing it upon
helpless calves. These queries are so con-
sistent and pertinent that we lecel called
upon to give our views in reinforcement Of
those of Mr.. Bliss We know something Of
feeding calves, having raised successfully
over 200 of them, but confess our ignorance
as to raising babies. On the contrary, the
Boston CultiUdtor seems to know n great
deal more of the latter than Of the former,
We believe that calves are somewhat differ
emily constituted to [lrom babies. Calves
have a differently organized stomach, and
after arriving at the age Of four weeks are
indiscreet enough to eat grass, hay, aud
such matters If not very carefully watchSd.
But we never heard that although this is
done with impunity, its propriety was ques-
toned because 1t is not common to feed
babies on grass or hay. If the Boston Cul-
tiudtor will reflect we believe it will be able
to perceive this point, and that there is a
difference between calves and human infants
1t is quite consistent that person holding
such ideas as these Of the Boston CHttiUator
should 90 to Scotland for an attempt to
prove that frst.rate calves can only be
raised by allowing them to suck the cows
This may be the view of an old fOgy here
aud there, even in Scotland, but it is moi
that of the vast majority even of Scotch
farmers of the present day. 1t is not needlu
for us to go to Scotland for prccedcnts in
this case. We have sufficient evidence al
home. The great bulk of calves here are
fed upon sour milk, to which they are
gradually weaned. The main trouble is that
a great many do not get enough Of it. A
calf fed upon new milk for month woulC
cost twice as much as it would be worth
1t would be a cheaper business to deacon
it at once. When the calf is taken from thc
COW at its birth, and not allowed to suck, II
is best for both COW and calf. When the
milk has attained its normal condition j
may be set for cream and warm skimme,
milk be given to the calf Tho cream is no
nutritious except in making fat and it il
not fat We want. Bone and muscle ar
what We feed for, not fat, and these ar
made by skinned milk equally as well a
by the whole milk To talk of giving "sou
milk to a newly-dropped calf is preposter
Gus" and it is only part of the genera
unfarness with which the "B. C." treat
such matters as these to convey the imprcs
sion that such proposition was intended
That the proverb Of "knockiug calves on tn
head with the skinner" has boon commo
in Massachusetts, for forty years and more
and that the general practice has been in ac
cordancc with the old fashion of lettin
calves suck, 90 to show that there are som
foolish proverbs, aud doubtless to accour
for the fact that that state has made bu
very little progress or reputation as dair
; state The few dairymen who have a repu
tation in the state do use their skimmers an
knock their calves upon the head with then
but the calves seem to like it, and to thirty
upon the treatment.-New York Times.