The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1876-11-24
Heifer Calves.


fled, loses much in not raising
such of the heifer calves as are
sure to make good COWS, so as'to
supply n wants 1nSAave for the
market each year a few extra cows
that bring a good price. 1t has
occurred to US that perhaps the
reason why lie does not do this is
because of acommon uncertainty
as TO what the heifer calf will
make for a COW, and possibly the
expense of raising such stock.
Now, we are sure we shall be
doing our farmer readers an extra
good service if we can tell them
how to select, to a. certainty, a
good COW in the calf two weeks
old, and how to raise them
80 there will be a net profit to no
mean consideration. Both OF
these things are not only posi-
bic, but they are, in our mind, SO
clearly defined, that when we see
the farmerat Cambridge or Brigh-
ton in search of young cows OF
heifers to make COWS of, we only
wonder. -
To raise good heifer, calves the
sire, as well as the dam, ought to
he fine cut, OF delicate organiza-
ton, with the points Of a good
COW. The farmer has no right to
expect that a course, heavy-limb-
ed, thick-skinned sire, with the
head, shoulders, and form of an
OK, will give him the fine, delicate
image always soughtfo o in a good
COW. This is what may be called
the foundation-to sure success in
breeding COWS. To select the
COW in the calf there are certain
points to be noted which seldom
fail; lacking these is what makes
so many poor or ordinary COWS
and raising heifer calves so UNI
profitable: Commencing with
the head, the~httle thing should
show a clean-cut, bony head,
wide jowls, large, clear eyes, set
wide apart, and full between
them; small ears, and thin lips
and nostrils. The neck should be
narrow, almost choaked up at the
head, running back very wide,
yet thin, and set on to the shout
ders so as to give the appearance
of a low headed animal. The
shoulders should be low and rath-
er, small; the back following,
small Of girth, but gradually in
creasing in size, with the hips
very high and broad; the legs
wide, thin and bony; the teats flat
and long,Nthe skin thin and soft.
Now, these may be said to be
the marks of a full-grown COW,
that can not be discerned in a cali
two weeks old. But that is where
the mistake is made; the heifer
calf is but a miniature COW, and
every mark we have given, which
any dairyman will recognize, is
seen in the youngest calf that is
worth raising. But if the novice
can not observe1this general out
line, he can see that the teats are
flat and long, the skin thin and
silky, the gsdeer.lilie, that the
head is not bulky, If these marks
are not plain, send it to the butch
er. = ~ fs
Then, to raise them with profit,
do not attempts any process with
oatmeal porridge. Give them,
the first two weeks, half the milk;
the next three weeks only one
fourth, with some shorts and a
little choice hay; they will do we'll
and grow fast enough. There is
no profit in -largecows. Fhe'best
dairy we ever saw did not have q
COW in it thatwould dress, when
iat, over $50 to350 pounds; With
ordinary care and feed a spring
calf will grow fast enough to reach
maturity in the fall after it is two
years old. The fall is decidedly
the best time to bring a heifer into
milk. Now, farmer reader, if you
will follow these instructions; cut
down one-third the size Of the
common COW; select from points
necessary to.a good COW; and you
will find even in the hard, rocky
grazing land of New England,
that raising heifer calves is profit
able.
----A-A&-
close Presidential Contests.