Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-03-16

FIG. XXX.-GooD HEREFORD STEER.
sell for 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
as the calf is week old it should be
gradually changed from whole TO skim
milk. according 10 the, plan given in
article s. AS soon as possible the
calves should be taught to eat shelled
corn. with perhaps II 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 a large capacity when
young greater gains can be obtained
later.
From the standpoint of milk produc-
ton it is best to have the calves come
in the fall. but if cheap gains on the
calves is the main point sought spring
calving is preferable. In this way the
calves will have to be kept through but
one winter. and two summers of cheap
gains on grass can be obtained. If the
calves come in the spring they should
be turned on grass us soon as possible
A 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, but adds to the cost. Grain
feeding should continue throughout
the winter, with the addition of plenty
of clover or alfalfa hay and little
silage or roots, if such feed can be
had.
One of the best ways to feed TO corn
at this time is to snap it and run it
through a slicer. There is freshness
about snapped corn that makes the
cattle relish it a great deal more than
they do corn that has been husked.
The feeding value of the huSks
amounts to considerable too. A little
oil or cOttonseed meal added TO the ra-
tion will cheaper the cost of gain If
corn is high i'm 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 "a
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 he liberal. as
calves tend TO grow rather than to fat
ten. This tendency is specially evi
dent in calves of scrub" ancestry
The feeder should endeavor TO make
them grow and fatten at the same
time, never losing the calf fat" Dur
ing the early part of the second sum
mer, while the grass is at its best. the
grain feeding may slacken somewhat
but should be- increased again after
month or so until the calves are get
ting all they will clean up. The prop
er time to market will depend largel!
upon the price and the finish of tn,
cattle. A little extra finish adds con
siderably to the price.
In experiments that have been car
A. .ried on to determine the relative cos
of gains II has been found that gain
can be put on yearlings from % to 3
per cent cheaper than on two-year
olds. objection is sometimes made t
baby beef raising on the ground tina
the cheap roughage. such as cornstalk
and straw. cannot be disposed of i
this way. This Is true, but the cow
will use a large part of this feed. an
the rest can be turned into beddin
ard used IN swell the size Of the ma
nure pile. There are some advantage