Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-04-21
CALF RAISING ON SMALL FARMS
(Lee Hathaway. Alpine. n. y. ii
Tribune Farmer

Tribune FarmerD
Probably more calves are started
with better results at this season than
any other. find spring calves much
more satisfactory than the early fall
ones While October ard November
veas are always well up in price
calves started then have a cold. hard
winter ahead and if turned to grass
with the yearlings are apt to grow
slowly. if they do not suffer a posi-
tive stunt. If kept in the barn eight
cen months the cost is apt to destroy
the profit. except in the case of eyhi-
bitiOn stock In the ring, of course,
the early calf has the advantage.
To get a good calf one must start
with the COW. We aim to allow the
cows to go dry about two months. Civ.
ing them four quarts of good feed and
plenty of roughage while dry We
always keep the date of service, but
do not rely much on this. The care
full herdsman who watches his COWS
closely can tell about when to expect
a calf and a week or SO before the
cow comes in we place her in a box
stall, near the other cows and in plain
sight, giving her identical care in ey-
cry way, except to reduce the grain.
If COW is apt to have trouble with
her bag, or in the case of heifers,
which often make bags for long time
previous to calying. we aim to have
the animal in nice condition, and when
.I 70 "a h., grain
ly. Others We allow couple of quarts
of bran and cats mixed. We seldom
have any trouble with the cows calv
ing, and after birth COW and caif are
left together about As hours, giving
the COW a re1soable quantity of luke
warm water and stripping out care.
fully. In summer cool, under
ground stall is ideal, and If the COW
is very fat, would advise leaving
her in for week, for II allowed in the
sun and with free access to water,
milk fever and dead COW are the re-
suit, as | am sure from sad expert
ence. The ccw is now turned out and
MIXED with the rest.
We seldom try to feed the calf until
"a hours have elapsed, and in stub
born cases longer In first trying to
teach the calf to drink it is better to
use a small pail and hold 1t up to the
calf than to use large one and try to
force the calfs head down. as this is
contrary to nsture and apt to arouse a
large an cunt of opposition. Always
give the calf two fingers and coax his
head gently into the pail. Withdrawing
them gradually after time, when he
will drink without trouble. II one fin
ger only is used it is liable to be lots
of suck and little milk
The calf is fed new milk direct
from the cCw for month or so, OF
until it will eat bran and oats. when
the new milk is replaced by lkim, and
later this is diluted with water, the
object being to give the growing ami
NAL large digestive powers. In con
nection with this | have found tina,
Holstein milk is better for calves than
the rich Jersey or Ayrshire, and thai
often scours cen be cured by changing
the feed of the dam. Our calves are
turned into a clover field near the
barn after the grass gets somewhat
toughened. and are allowed the rur
OF a dark stable during the summer
They are given what grain they will
eat nicely. During the following win
ter the common ration is four quarts
OF chop. By following this method
have had Jersey and Ayrshire calves
that weighed better than rs pounds a
birth. and at one year old were nicely
developed animals.