The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-02-18

FIG. xxx.-GooD HEREFORD STEER
sell for n substantial advance over
market prices they may be allowed to
run with their mothers and live on
new milk. This is too expensive a
feed for beef calves. however AS soon
ms the calf Is a week old it should be
gradually changed from whole to skim
milk. according to the plan given in
article =. AS soon as possible the
calves should be taught to eat shelled
corn, with perhaps few oats mixed
with it. With clover or alfalfa for
rOughage, shelled corn alone does very
well. The calves should be given all
the rough feed they will eat. as by
developing large capacity when
young greater gains can be obtained
later.
From the standpoint Of milk prOduc-
tion it is best to have the calves come
in the fail. but if cheap gains on the
calves is the main point sought spring
caIving is preferable In this way the
calves will have to he kept through but
one winter. and two summers of cheap
gains on grass can he obtained If the
calves come in the spring they should
he turned on grass as soon MS possible
\ shady pasture, with an occasional
spraying for flies when they are bad.
will add to the gains Some grain
should be fed all summer, the amount
being controlled largely by the price
Heavy grain feeding increases the rate
of gain, hut adds to the cost. Grain
feeding should continue throughout
of clover or alfalfa hay and little
slagc or roots, if such feed can be
had
One Of the best ways to feed to corn
ut this time is to snap it and run it
through slicer. There Is a freshness
about snapped corn that makes the
cattle relish it great deal more than
they do corn that has been husked
The feeding value of the husks
amounts TO considerable too. little
oil or cottOnseed meal added to the ra-
tion will cheaper the cost of gain If
corn is high in price. The most rapid
gains are made where alfalfa or clover
forms the only rOughage, fed at the
rate of about three pounds of hay to
one OF corn. Adding little cheaper
rOughage reduces the cost OF gain,
however Part of the clover may be
replaced to advantage by silage.
The feed given should be liberal, as
calves tend 10 grow rather than to fat
ten. This tendency is specially cvi,
dent in calves Of scrub" ancestry.
The feeder should cndcavOr to make
them grow and fattcn at the same
time never losing the "calf fat" Dur
ing the early part of the second sum
mer, while the grass is ut its best the
grain feeding may slackcn somewhat |
but should be increased again after
month or SO until the calves are get !
ting all they will clean up. The prop |
or time 10 market will depend largely !
upon the price and the finish of the |
tattle \ little extra finish adds con
rlderably to the price
In experiments that have been car !
ricd on TO determine the relative cost |
of gains it has been found that gains
can he put on yearlngs from % to 30
per cent cheaper than on two-year- |
olds Objection is sometimes made to |
baby beef raising on the ground that .
the cheap roughage, such as cornstalks |
ana straw, cannot he disposed of in
this way This is true, but the cows .
will use a large part of this feed, and
the rest can be turned into bedding
and used to swell the size Of the ma.
nure pile. There are some advantages
In feeding older cattle, however They
gain faster and more uniformly and
put on better finish.
Feeding older Cattle.
Where twO-year-olds are TO he fed
thew must usually be purchased. &C.