Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-05-30
MANAGEMENT OF CALVES.
How TO Feed Them success uliy without
Using Much M

Using Much Mi
Mix Is so valuable for outtor and
cheese making. or for sale, that to
feed Il to calves for two or three
months would make the calves cost
more in the milk consumed than they
could be sold for. Hence many dairy
men mako short work OF their calves,
killing or giving them away when a
fcw days old. rather than be at the
trouble aud expense Of rearing them.
This way Of disposing OF them is not
the most profitable, however. that
could be adopted. Calves can be
reared successfully and profitably
without using much milk for them.
They are among tho most profitable
animals to feed. Young animals in
crease in weight faster in proportion
to the food consumed than older ones
The average gain per day constantly
decreases ns the animal grows older,
although the quantity OF food required
constantly increasea II has been
found by trial that group OF steers at
the ago OF 500 days weighed l.2I9
pounds each. showing a gain OF 10
pounds per day. During the next 279
days they increased in weight only 232
pounds, or SO OF n pound per day. The
calf increases in weight the first three
months fuster than il does the second
three months. and faster the second
q rec months than the third, and so on.
Hence IL is seen that calves increase
in flesh much faster than older ami
mails, and are consequently more prof
liable to feed. This is why 1t is desir-
able that the calves should be raised
instead OF slaughtered.
The problem TO- solution, however,
Is how 10 feed the calves so as to make
thcm grow thrlftily without using
much milk. Prot Stewart, in his ex-
cellent work. Feeding Animals. shows
how this can DO accomplished by the
use OF skim-milk. or even whey with
oil-meal. as the principal food. The
first week the calf should be fed on
whole milk. The second week skim
milk, with a little naXsced Cruel
mixed with IL. can be used. The fax
seed Cruel. made by boiling pint of
naxseed end pint Of oil-meal in ton
or twelve quarts OF water. mixed with
one or two parts OF skim-milk. and
fed warm. is nearly as rich AS new
milk and much cheaper. The third
week the quantity Of oil-meal may be
doubled, gradually in creasing TO
pound a day, which will DO sufficient
up 20 the age OF two months. When
the calf Is two months old add one
pound Of oats or oatmeal, or wheat
middlings. and continue for sixty days
more. Twenty pounds Of skim-milk
per day will bo sufficient for the first
ninety days, but no harm would
occur from larger ration a.
the calf grows older. For the
next ninety days, II milk Is short,
feed only ten pounds Of skim
milk. and Increase the oats or
middlings 10 two pounds day. The
| linseed meal Is rich in oil, nnd con-
tains much muscle-forming food aud
phosphate OF lime to build up the bony
system. Used with skim-milk. Il
makes the rations nearly as good as
whole milk. Prof Stewart says that
he has often had calves seventy days
old fed with one-half pound OF FAX
seed and one and "A half pounds OF oat-
meal each. with twenty pounds Of
skim-milk per day, that have gained In
weight thirty 10 thirty-soven pounds In
ten days, an average OF over three and
one-fonrth pounds each per day. The
haNseed and oatmeal are boiled, and
these mixed with the milk Thus fed,
froi. Stewart says he expects thrifty
calves 10 reach 500 pounds at three
months, when at six months old 10
average 800 20 600 pounds. and AT
year old 10 weigh 800 to 1000 pounds,
and be worth slO 10 S6) each. having
cost only about S27 each. reckoning
all IA 4 has been eaten by them. Il is
evident that raising calves til year
old. at a cost Of f27 oNch. so that they
viii be worth go 10 $50 will pay the
farmer much better thnn 10 kin the
calves or give them away when young.
II as good returns could bo obtained
from all the stock fed on the farm ns
from the calves when properly fed,
stock raising would pay well. -Dr. II.
Reynolds, . n. T. Examiner