Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-05-25
Rai.ing u Calf Economically.

KQ1h1nG CNIf EcOnOInICAIly.
/ arrange to have as many of my
calves come in March as possible,
though few come later and some in
the fall. The first day or two they
are left with the COW. After that day
they are put in a large, well ventilated
box stall, with plenty OF light and dry
bedding. They are not allowed out
of doors until the weather gets pretty
warm, and then only in the daytime,
until accustomed to the change.
Usually the calf sucks until five or
ten days old, sometimes longer, pre-
ferring if practicable to teach several
to drink ut a time, as it is very little
more work than to teach one. AS
rule it is best to let the calf go with
out one meal before trying to feed, as
by so doing it is apt to give up good
many foolish notions.
A mistake is often made in feeding
too much at the start and the cali
becomes slipper instead of drinker.
Another mistake is i'll substituting
Cruel polridge, hay tea or some other
sloppy mixture for new milk. 1t is
sometimes possible to keep life in
calf when fed on such diet, but very
often 1t dies. My experience is, that
it is best to fe I'd the grain ration alone
and the drink alone; let the calf dc
the mixing. induce them to eat
little hay and grain as soon as they
manifest desire to do so.
Ii the calf has horns, it is good
time to kill them as soon as it gets to
drinking well. If done before, its
head being sore will interfere with
drinking. I generally use caustic
potash. 1t is cheap and if thoroughly
applied is good. The trouble is it is
not usually applied properly. Horn
forceps may be used, or the horns al
lowed to grow until the calf is ten or
twelve months old, and then removed
by saving. Either way is all right
and will produce smooth head if the
man has the tools and the skill to
use them.
As long as new milk is fed care
should be taken that each calf has the
same cows milk every time. When o
substitute for whole milk is used the
change is made very gradually at first.
Just what is used in place of whole
milk depends entirely on circum-
stances. With me it is usually
skinned OF separated milk, though
sometimes it is sweet whey, butter
milk or even water. The latter is
used to dilute the buttermilk or as
filler when only small quantity OF
new milk is fed. Ny aim is to feed
bulky rather than concentrated foods.
This practice tends to increase the di'
geStive capacity. I begin feeding
separated milk by mixing a small
quantity with new milk, increasing
the former as the amount OF the new
milk is diminished, until in two or
three weeks no new milk is fed, but
grain enough is eaten to take its
place. The SKINNED milk is fed cold,
but not ice cold. II warmed at all it
is done by placing over hot water or
by steam, never by placing directly on
the stove. One ieed of overheated
milk will cause an endless amount of
trouble. How long skinned milk
should be fed depends largely on its
cost. 1 pay ten cents per 100 pounds
at the creamery. At chat price it is a
cheap feed all summer. A liberal
amount of clover or mixed hay is fed,
together with grain ration consist
| ing of oats or some feed rich in pro-
tein, until the calf is turned out to
pasture, yearling. &C. P. Haskins
in Orange Judd Farmer.