The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-07-12
By LAURA ROSE,
Demonstration and Lecturer In Dairying
at the Ontario Agricultural COL
lege. Guelph. Canada.

ASopJ'A6he' A'44, oy A. -. McClurS & Co.
"HERE is difference Of opinion.
among farmers as to letting
the calf suck the dam at all.
Some take it away Immediate
~, but the greater number leave the
calf with it's mother at least twenty
four hours after it is born. 1t Is al
ways safer to allow it to stay that
length Of time unless the cow is known
to be tuberculous. in which case the
calf should be removed right away and
not allowed to be licked by it's mother
or to drink any Of her milk. Tuber
culosis is not hereditary. but may be
contracted.
To teach a calf to drink let it get
quite hungry first. then insert two fin
gers in its mouth and lower its head
into the pail. Calf feeders can be
bought and are liked by some. If the
calf proves Obstinate-and depend upon
it some surely will-the milk will cool
while your patience is being tried. 1t
must be heated by adding a little hot
water to it. for the young baby must
not get cold milk. even when it is OBJ
stinate. Remember it is against ma
ture for a young calf to put its head
down to drink. so while it Is learning
this we must be patient. 1t will help
matters at first to raise the pail or
better still, a dish. to the calf. if pos
sible. Never feed in wooden pals.
They soon sour. Always wash and
scald the pals at least once a day. 1t
takes less time than to bother with
sick calves.
, AS d rule. it is good plan to feed
the calf whole milk for the first three
weeks. though there are many strong
j ones which would stand the change to
skimnilk at two weeks. At first give
from six to eight pounds two and one
half to three and One-half quarts). ac-
cording to the size Of the calf. twice
| daily At the end of three weeks it
should get from eight to ten pounds
In the event of calf from any cause
! not getting the colostrum first milk.
| which is very laxative and intended by
nature TO cleanse the bowels of the
young animal it is advisable to feed
it with the milk from the freshest
| lowest testing COW you have. at the
| same time watching carefully to see if
the bowels are acting. If not give
about two tablespoonful of warm raw
| linseed oil or castor oil. repeating the
| dose if necessary.
IL ;c rich in fot
| for the calf to do we'll on it. Such
milk should be diluted with water. Or
give the calf milk from another fresh
cow Of low test if you have one.
I'm feeding calves by hand" said an
expert stock raiser to me, Il would
never be without a thermometer and
some means of weighing the milk. as
| would far rather let calf go without a
meal than have it get a couple Of
pounds too much milk or have it get it
at temperature Of 20 degrees if it had
been used to getting it at 30 degrees.
| which is about right"
| When heating milk for calves it Is
best to place the vessel containing it in
a pan Of hot water: then there Is no
danger Of its being burned or boiled.
One great advantage of separator skim
milk is that if fed Immediately it is at
the right temperature and is fresh and
sweet Besides, think the animal heat
in the milk has a certain vitality In 1t.
The froth should be removed. 1t is not
good for the calf. sometimes causing
collie
In changing from whole milk to skim
milk do not be in too great a hurry.
Take at least a week to make the
change.
At two or three weeks the calf will
begin to eat little hay and should
be provided with some nice, bright
clover hay 1t should also get a little
meal about this time. A good plan is
TO fill the hand with bran and crushed
oats, and when the calf has finished
its milk hold your fingers for it to
suck. and while it is doing so work
the meal. a little at time. into its
mouth with your thumb. Another plan
is to put little meal into the bot
tom of the pail just as it has finished
drinking. Some give it few whole
oats. The chewing and mixing of the
food with saliva promote digestion
and thrift. A little pulped roots is
relished by the calf and tends to keep
the appetite keen. If you wish to fat
ten a calf give it some fat producing
food, such as little cOrnmeal.
A calf Of two months should not
get over eight quarts of milk per day:
at four months it cannot make good
use of more than ten quarts With
this it should get two quarts Of mixed
crushed grain per day and all the hay
it can eat.
At six months the milk allow
| that time il milk is St.arce Meaning