Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-08
Feeding Calves.
spring.

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the benefit of his views and expert
ences in stock raising in series of
able papers. From the current num-
Der we make an extract of unusual
value, devoted to the feeding of
calves, and next week shall give the
Professors ideas of fattening cattle:
The proper winter-feeding of calves
is first in order. AS we have Just
seen in reference to growing beef, the
rapid growth of the young animal is
of the greatest importance. Farm
ers, then, cannot afford to winter
their calves in an Indifferent manner,
keeping them, as is too frequently
the case, in state OF suspended
growth till grass comes again, rely
ing upon that TO give them thrift. 1t
costs two-thirds as much to keep
calves in winter without any increase
in weight, as it does to make fine
growth. The gain in full feeding all
comes from one-third Of the food
two-thirds being expended to keep
the calf alive without loss. Is it
not, therefore, very bad economy TO
throw away two-thirds of the food
required TO make a good growth, in
order to save the last third ? All
growth comes from the last third of
the food in full ration. When far
mers fully understand this, they will
cease to throw away food in starving
young cattle. Some farmers are
careless even in keeping the calf the
first summer, allowing it to gather all
its food in a poor pasture after the
short season of milk feeding. The
calf thus takes on q stunted condi-
ton before winter comes. In such
case the greatest skill is required to
change this condition into one of
thrift, and if it be not done, it would
be much more profitable to skin the
calf in the fall than to keep it in that
stand-still condition, for its food
through the winter will cost more
than the calf is worth in the spring.
Having treated in previous article
upon the Importance of warm, we'll
ventilated stables, it will be under
stood that calves are TO have comf0s-
table quarters. And, If tue calves
have come to winter-quarters in poor
condition, the best food TO start them
when it can be had Is six or eight
quarts of skinned milk with two
quarts of oats and one pound of lin
seed oil-meal per day, with good hay.
This ration for four to six weeks will
start any calf in December that is
not past recovery. But it will not
often happen that the farmer has
milk at this season of the year, so
we must give ration that is not diff.
ficult to obtain. Most farmers have
corn meal and oats, and linseed oil
meal is obtainable in almost any part
Of the country. Give each poor calf
two pounds of corn meal, two pounds
of oats, and one pound OF oil meal
per day, in two feeds. This, with
good clover hay or rowen, will soon
change the thrift of the calf. Per-
haps the farmer will say he cannot
afford it; well, then he cannot afford
to keep calves at all. This feed for
$50 days will cost about seven dol.
lars, as an average-in the West
somewhat less. Now, calves with
this ration ought to gain at least 800
pounds; whereas, il only fed hay,
being poor on the start, they will not
gain anything in weight. VIII not
these 300 pounds gain in weight
with the greater value per pound of
the whole animal, be full compensa-
ton for this extra expenditure
This extra weight and condition will
more than double the value of the
calf in spring.
If the calves come to winter
feeding in good, thrifty condition
they will winter finely upon two
quarts of oats and one pound of oil
meal. | mention the oil meal be-
cause of its sanitary value in keep
ing the stomach and bowels In n
healthy condition. But If 1t Is not
easy to obtain it feed three quarts of
oats per day TO each calf with good
hay, and you bring it through finely.
If you have not oats, but corn and
good clover hay, feed three pints of
corn meal or shelled corn on q thin
layer of hay in the manger; or, bet
ter, il you have wheat bran and corn
meal, feed two quarts of bran and
one quart of corn meal mixed in two
feeds. If you live near grape-sugar
works your calves may be fed still
cheaper on four quarts of sugar meal
and one pound of oil meal with hay.
or the sugar meal with one quart of
oats per day. The sugar meal is not
complete food in itself and should
always be fed with small portion of
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