Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-08-06
A CHAPTER ON CALVES.
What a Farmer Has to Say About Raisin
Them.

What a Farmer Has to Say About Raising
Them.
l think one of the pleasantest tasks
on farm is that of raising calves.
There is very much solid enjoyment
to be derived from feeding them n ght
and morning. care for them daily, and
seeing them grow every hour of the
day. The first pleasure that the intel
ligent farmer experiences in calf-rais-
ing is the selection of the calves to be
raised. Some farmers must Of neces-
sity select those from their best cows
for that purpose. When the millen-
ium dawns upon our agriculture this
precautlon will not be necessary; the
cows kept by the farmer will all be
equally excellent. Until then it will
be desirable, even in the best of diaries,
to select with great care the mothers
of the future cows of the dairy. OF
course it is desirable to have strong,
lusty calves, and this is very much a
matter of previous care of the cow
while in calf. All breeding animals,
whether COWS, mares, or ewes, should
be fed with a view to the proper per-
Torrance of the generative functions.
An animal that is half starved shows
this treatment in her own condition.
The breeding animal that is insult
fic;ently fed is starved, and through
her the offspring becomes poorly de-
vcloped and is born weak and puny.
On the other hand, overlooking of q
breeding animal is productive of ex-
cessive fat, and the offspring in this
case also IS born weak and puny.
A middle course is the only safe and
iudicious one, and to this end a breed
ing animal should be fed sufficient nu
tritious food to sustain a moderate de-
gree of good flesh and preserve perfect
health and vigor. Following this course
the calves will all be dropped strong
and healthy. l have intimated that in
selecting calves it is desirable to select
those from the best cows. In making
this select. on several questions require
careful consideration. If the farmer
sells milk to city customers. and is not
too conscientious in regard to the quail
ity of milk furnished, then the one that
gives large amount of milk during
long season is the ideal cow. The fact
that an animal that gives a large mess
of milk sometimes gives an article OF
poor quality is no drawback. The alb
SCQCG Oh an u0UeSlEdUlc, OE IdtACI Oh
unnecessary. quality in the cow is not
considered as making her less val
liable. 1t is settled then that certain
farmers will select calves dropped by
their heaviest and most persistent milk
ing cows. even if they are deficient in
other highly desirable qualities. 1t is
we'll to understand, however. that the
cows that milk heavily and persistent
1y make very good starting point for
the foundation of good working dairy.
1t is good thing to know the exact
value of COW for dairy purposes ere
selecting the calves that may be drop
ped by such a cow for use in the dairy
The value of cow may be determined
fairly well the previous season. 1t is
not so very much trouble to churn the
milk of one separate from the rest for
week when it is desired to learn what
the cow is really good for. The churn
test will determine the quality, and
little observation of the flow of milk
and the length of season during which
she continues to give milk is amply
sufficient to determine which is rela-
lively the best of the herd. Every
farmer running dairy upon which he
relies for his livelihood should make
every season at least thorough exam
nation of his herd as that which have
suggested. Breeders Gazette.