Lancaster enterprise. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1891-1905, 1900-06-20
VALUE OF SKIM MILK.
Advantages of Retaining the
Young Calves.
From the Philadelphia Record.

from tne tnllauelp0lA RECORD
1t is safe to assume that a large
majority of farmers who sell milk
will affirm that it does not pay
to raise a calf, as the milk is too
valuable to be used for that pur
pose. OF course this claim de-
pends on what farmers receive
for the milk, but hundreds of them
do not receive as much as three
cents per quart. In order to test
the advantages of feeding milk to
calves, by comparison. and also
whether the raising of calves to
be retained as COWS or sold as
young steers will prove profitable
on all farms, the Kansas State
Agricultural college made some
experiments, which are published
in large bulletin, but which are
given here in more condensed
form. The calves used were not
selected as to breeds, and when
six months old-weaDing time
the heifers weighed 375 pounds
each and the steers 3S3 pounds
each. This is equal to two pounds
per day for each calf from birth
TO six months old, which is rapid
gain. Si4 calves were fed cream
cry skim milk and made an aver
age gain on such feed of $50
pounds each. Seven calves were
fed on hand separator milk and
gained 251 pounds while on such
food. The calves fed on creamery
skim milk consumed 2 2,497 pounds
each (about two pounds make
one quart and the others con
sumed 1904 pounds each of hand
separator milk. This is a remark
able showing, as the creamery
milk contained 10 to II per cent
of water added in the process of
steriliziug. The milk was steril
lied, as it was found that by so
doing there was less liability to
scours, and by care IN having all
utensils clean, giving milk at the
proper temperature, and not over
feeding, it was found not difficult
TO raise calves.
TIE METHOD OF MANAGEMENT.
The calves up to the age Of six
months we're fed on a variety and
kept until yearlings. The milk
diet ceased when they we're six
months old. At first they remain
ed with the COWS until four days
old, then given nothing for "a
hours $50 as to have them hun
gry,) and the first week each calf
was given ten pounds of warm
whole milk day-four pounds in
the morning, two at noon and
four at night. The second week
the amount was also ten pounds,
but given in two meals, five in
the morning and five at night.
When three weeks old the calf
was put on skim milk. At the
first feed of skim milk one pint
was given; at the second feed a
half pint more was added, and at
night quart was allowed. AS
the skim milk was increased the
whole milk was decreased, the
change being made at the rate of
one half pint each meal. The
quantity of skim milk was slowly
increased as the calf could take
it. At the end of month from
the time the calf was taken from
jhe COW the daily amount given
was usually from six to seven
quarts; at two months, n in e
quarts, and finally reached 10 to
10 quarts per day, 1t was all that
the calves would eat and all that
they required, as the gains in
weight showed All milk was fed
warm-from 90 to 100 degrees
a thermometer being used. The
milk was always fresh and sweet
and sterilized. The milk was fed
in tin pals. which were carefully