The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-06-27
FEEDING THE DAIRY CALF.
Careful Attention Needed to Produce
Strong, Profitable Cow.

One of the most delicate operations,
and one that requires the closest and
most careful attention on the part of
the dairyman or the breeder of dairy
cattle, is the feeding Of the dairy calf.
1t has been well said that on the first
IL months or two years of the calf's
life does Its future usefulness depend,
says the Farmei Guide. We want to
go Just little ia her than this and
say to all who are raising calves for
the dairy business, whether It be to
make butter, cheese, selling whole
milk or cream, or supplying q con.
densing factory or creamery; raise
calves from strictly dairy breed of
cattle. II you have not the pure bred
COWS, get yourself at least pure bred
sire OF good breeding and the better
record his dam has the better he is ;
that is the better will his calves be.
Now, whichever breed you choose,
stick to II and don't go to trying
crosses, or you lose money. II you
select a Jersey sire at first, stick to
the Jerseys, and you will soon have a
profitable, well-bred and nice-looking
herd. The same is true with the
Guernseys and Holsteins.
The COW should be we'll fed when
she is carrying the calf That is, be.
fore the calf is born, so that the calf
may be well nourished and the COW
return a good margin over the ex-
pense of feed and care. When the calf
is born, place 1t and its dam in a
clean, dry, well-bedded place and In a
comfortable temperature not below so
degrees F. 1t Is a good plan to let
the calf stay with its dam for the first
4S hours. The first milk, or colostrum.
Is very necessary for the calf as It
acts as a physic and cleans its bowels.
After the first 4S hours the calf may
be removed and fed by hand latter It
has been taught to drink) and this,
with some calves, Is no small under
taking. It takes patience and perse-
verance, for 1t is very necessary that
the calf has the regular amount of
milk twice a day, hence the starving.
it-to-it proposition don't go, although
one may be tempted to let 1t go till
1t will drink. Three pounds of milk,
twice a day, Is enough for the first
week or even two. Care must be
taken to see that the milk Is warm
and the buckets always clean and
sweet. II you see to this and have a
dry, clean. well-lighted and bedded
place for the calf you will never be
troubled with calf scours. After the
calf is two weeks old 1t can take four
pounds Of milk twice a day. This
milk should be weighed every time
and they will never drink too much. A
pair Of spring balances hung In a con-
venient place will solve this problem
AS soon as the calf will eat it
should have all the oats and bran 1t
will eat as we'll as bright clover hay.
There is nothing that will take the
place Of oats for young calves raised
for the dairy. Water should also be
provided for the calves at all times. It
Is a good plan to have large bucket
to set before them all the time and
they will never drink too much at one
time. After the calf is six weeks old
1t may be changed to warm, sweet
skim milk. II you have hand sepa-
rator, this is the ideal way to raise a
calf. 1t should not fall off in flesh or
stop growing at all, nor will 1t, II you
give 1t good care. 1t is well to add a
little oil meal to the skim milk when
the change is made. The change
should also be made gradually. as half
pound of skim milk replaces so
much whole milk. till the change is
completed.
In feeding oil meal one should not
feed too much at first. Just a little
pinch and increase to a small handful
The skim milk can be increased as the
calf grows older. so that six-months-
old calf may take seven or eight
pounds at feed. Silage may be added
to the ration at six months old and
bran take the place of oats entirely,
because Of its being cheaper. 1t is the
good, liberal feeder that makes money
in the dairy business. It is we'll, how
ever. to figure so as to feed as cheap
a ration as possible as long as 1t is
GOOD