Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1913-11-01
HANDLING DAIRY HEIFERS
The Important Thing is Keep Them
Growing From Calves Up.

In the management of the dairy
herd there is no one thing that is of
more Importance than the proper
handling of the dairy heifer. The i'm
portant thing is to keep them grow
ing from the time they are calves. If
the growth of the calf is arrested at
any time during the period OF develop
ment. COW OF small capacity is quite
sure to be the result with a tendency
or predisposition toward disease On
the other hand. if the young heifer
is allowed to lay on flesh to any great
extent the tendency is to develop the
beefmaking qualities at the expense
OF milk production. The best way is
to feed the calf plenty of good tissue
building food like oats, clover, alfalfa
and skinned milk with enough corn
meal to supply heat energy in the
cold seasons. a calf needs an abund-
ance OF exercise. fresh air and sun
shine, but should be perfected from
the extreme heat of summer Care
needs to be taken not to starve nor
to gorge the growing calf. but give
them good supply OF nourishing
feed and nature will do the rest
One of the big points in the life
OF the young heifer is the time she
is allowed access to the bull 1t is
true that there are differences of opin-
ion among breeders on this point
largely because there is difference
III the variable breeds of dairy cattle
For instance. the Jerseys being rath-
er small breed. tend TO mature at
somewhat earlier age than the fol-
stems or Ayrshires which are larger
and slower in getting their growth.
When ii comes down to the last an
alvsis any young heifer will become
stunted if allowed to breed before
they have reached reasonable de
gree OF maturity. while it allowed to
go too long after they have reached
their growth they will usually lay on
flesh 1.-THE expense OF large milk pro-
duction later on. The average hefer,
when she has been properly fed from
birth. will be reasonably well matured
al from fourteen to sixteen months so
it will be safe to give her access to
the bull If the heifer is allowed to
calve before she is two years old, il
will require great deal of energy to
complete her physical development
and to properly grow frtus or the
undeveloped cali at the same time.
Under such circumstances, either
the heifer will be stunted in her
growth or she will complete her dc
velopment 1t TIE expense OF the off
spring As a general rule. IN, hcfcr
that tends to lay on flesh early may
be bred sooner than one that does
not \ great many dairymen prefer
TO have slightly stunted COW and
good mixer rather than to have d
fully developed COW that is only
medium or a poor mixer.
1t has been found that many heifers
are bred too soon after they drop
their first calf One OF the inherent
tendencies in the young COW is to
add new milk-secreting glands in the
udder up To the time she drops the
third or fourth calf. but most rapidly
after the birth OF the first: conse-
quently. it the heller should be made
To milk as long as possible before she
drops the second cali. This has
tendency to develop a good founda
ton for a iirst-class animal which is
desired III the raising OF dairy heifers.
One of the big problems before the
farmers today is to develop more and
better dairy heifers to supply the
growing demand for more and better
dairy cows The only practical way
TO do this is to keep every female calf
and give them proper care during
their growth period. SO they will have
a fair show to develop naturally. The
fact that the milking tendency OF the
dairy COW is fixed largely during her
early development. is sufficient evi-
dence that more intelligence is need
ed to put the dairy cows in the class
whre they belong. Every farmer
needs to study the calf from the time
il is weaned until they are numbered
among the herd as mixers North
western Agriculturist