The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-10-04
Raising Calves.


To keep up the supply Of stock,
which should be constantly on the in
crease in this country, large numbers
of calves must be raised. A great many
of these young animals are now sold
TO the butchers, and this detracts large
ly from the supply that is needed to
keep the number good on the farm.
And in some instances it is feared
that the best, or those that will bring
the most money, are disposed of in this
way. The farmer should make no mis-
take in this matter, and injure future
prospects for a little present gain. The
best for the purpose needed should be
retained on the farm. Particularly
should this be the case where dairying
is the leading industry, and indeed the
same rule will apply where beef pro-
duction is followed, or both combined.
The best are none too good for the
purpose.
But l wish now to speak more par
ticularly of the dairy. The farmer as
a general thing should raise his own
stOck,-that is, the heifers. OF course
he should get the best males he can
from the most approved families or
breeds, and then select the most prom
Using heifer calves from the best cows.
A considerable proportion of our most
enterprising dairymen, those who are
in a condition to do so, have their
cows fresh in milk from September on
during the four succeeding months
This affords a good opportunity for
raising a fine lot of fall and winter
calves that, if well cared for, will be-
come large, thrifty animals, which an
other spring, as the pastures become
good, will be fully able to care for
themselves. The raising of calves in
this manner is becoming quite an in
dustry of itself where winter dairying
is practised 1t comes at time of the
year when the work can be readily
performed and in the best manner.
To be the most successful in this
business there are some necessary con-
ditions. These are comfortable quar-
tiers, where the young animals can be
kept dry and warm. This is very i'm
portant, as they can hardly be ex-
pected to thrive or to do well in cold,
dark, wet pens. Plenty of bedding to
keep them dry is one of the requisites,
and they should be fed regularly with
sweet, warm milk, it may be skimmilk
after the first few weeks or days even,
time Where separators are used on
the farm, or cold, deep setting of milk
prectiCed these conditions can be sue
cessfully carried out. Where calves are
thus kept in a comfortable stable and
fed milk until the following spring,
they should become such animals that
the owner may well be proud of. But
milk should not form the entire ra-
ton. After few weeks they will COM
mence TO eat little hay and it should
be fed to them regularly, and that of
the best quality If there is a silo on
the premises the ensilage will be rel
ished and help to make better ration.
Not much grain need be fed, as it is
essential to develop the milking quail
tiles rather than those of a beef ten
dency. A little bran or oats will not
come amiss. The idea should be to
keep them healthy, thrifty anu grow
ing all through the winter, the begin
ming of just such animals as the far
mer will be delighted with little time
hence, when they shall take their
places in his own dairy or go to make
a profitable addition to some other
herd.-E. r. Towle, in American Cult.
vator.