Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-09-07
Calves on Skim Milk.

II
1t should be the aim from the time th,
calf is born until 1t is full grown to keel
1t in thriving and growing condition
This, / believe, is the only secret Of sue
cess in growing and developing profitabl,
animals. Letting an animal down IL
condition is great and permanent LOST
that no amount of care and food can re
place, something lost forever. Wher
We neglect to keep these young animal'
thriving, not only is the food wasted
but waste of time is involved; besides
it takes us considerable time to over
come the unthrifty habit.
As soon as possible after the calf |.
dropped take it from the COW. The
best time is within twenty four hours af
ter its birth. / allow the COW to lick the
calf nearly dry. When the calf Is able
to stand up, and sometimes before, 1t Ii
given from bottle about quart Of iti
mothers milk, quite warm. In cold
weather the bottle should be first
warmed with hot water, so that the milk
is not chilled. If the milk should get
chilled it is warmed but not made hot.
Milk more than blood warm, or cold, is
not good for calf. For calf of usual
size feed two quarts whole milk at
meal, two meals a day. This continue
for five days, at the end of which time
the milk is SKINNED when II hours old,
and only skim milk fed. The size OF the
feed is now Increased gradually until the
youpgster is allowed three quarts at
three weeks old.
When the calf Is 10 days old the milk
may be SKINNED at "a hours. At no
time do feed sour milk, and never cold.
till the calf is some months old. 1t Ia
better tepid than hot at any time. When
five or six days old little good sweet
hay is placed within reach to be nibbled
at. The bottle can be used for several
days or longer, at the option of the feed
er, but by fitting it only little at time
the calf will soon learn to suck, and ii
the weather is not cold enough to chill
the milk it can easily be taught to drink
from a pail by conducting its muzzle to
the milk with two fingers.
1t will be seen that the price Of butter
cuts no figure in raising calves by my
method, for as soon as the cows milk is
fit to use in the family it ia skinned un-
til nv calves are ready to turn out on
pasture. They get nothing whatever
but milk and hay, not even salt.
In starting q delicate calf the greatest
care should be taken not to overfeed.
As to this, know of but one rule that
can be relied op, which is as follows:
Feed slowly, watch the sides Of the little
fellow. and as soon as they are flush
with the shoulders and hips, or very lit.
tie more, stop feeding. By this rule I
can safely feed the most delicate Jersey
calf without measuring the milk indeed,
prefer this rule of measurement. We
should do everything to build up q
strong and vigorous constitution and a
healthy frame during the first year OF
calfs life, for unless this Ia being done
we are doing precisely the other thing.
There is no middle or standstill course
in growing a calf. At the end of two
years of proper feeding and management
we will be rewarded by an animal
possessing a strong, healthy appearance,
with q well-developed frame; it's bones
will be covered with an abundance OF
flesh and fat and its skin will be soft and
mellow and its hair glossy and fine.
When the calves are playful it may be
taken as sure indication that they are
healthy aud thriving, and when they ap-
pear lifeless it may be taken as sure
indication that something is wrong with
them. All animals, man included, have
much in common; and this fact should
be kept in mind when we are caring for
our live stock. It would be we'll If we
would ask ourselves how certain lines of
care and treatment would suit US If we
were in the place of our animals. The
sense of bodily ease and comfort is
essential in the care of stock.-Fred
Orne in v. 4. Homestead.