Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-11-05
DEVELOP GOOD
By Giving Careful Attention
to Calves
PROBLEM OF RAISING
is COMPLICATED ONE
But Production OF a Profitable Cow
Depends Upon Method of Hand
ling Calf

|
ling Calf
Last week The Enterprise
published an article from an ex-
pert Arkansas Valley dairyman
regarding feed for dairy cows and
a balanced ration. This article
was so provocative of interest and
favorable comment that we have
been induced to give space to the
following advice about the care
of dairy calves, rs promulgated by
the U. S. Department of Agricul-
| ture:
Careful attention on the part of dairy
man during the two weeks that follow
calf's birth will often mean the ultimate
addition to hisherd of a large. well-devel-
oped milking COW. instead of a sickly.
undersized, stunted animal. The problem
of raising calves is to-day more COM
pcated one than when it was customary
to feed larger amount of whole milk.
The dairyman will therefore find it to
his advantage to take the best possible
care of his calves from the very begin
ming.
Immediately after birth the navel OF
the calf should be washed with an anti
| septic solution and tied with silk thread
in order to prevent infection. For the
| first feed the calf should have the first
milk from the COW after calving and
should have its mothers milk for several
| feeds thereafter. The sooner the wean-
| ing takes place the better. but ordinarily
it should not be Postponed later than
the fourth day. The sooner the calf is
weaned the more easily it is taught to
drink. When first fed from the pail. to
o pounds Of milk day. fresh and warm
from the COW and divided into two feeds.
are sufficient. The feeding times should
be as near regular as possible. and at
first it is advisable to feed more than
twice day. The amount fed should bs
constant; and to insure tais, scales should
bs used. as variation tends to get the
digestive organs out of order. At all
times the utmost care should be taken
to prevent any digestive disorder, as
all such trouble hinders the growth and
development OF the animal. Calf scours
is the most common Indication of this
condition.
The following named precautions, 10
great extent, send to prevent seours:
Feed regularly.
| Be sure that the milk is always sweet
and warm.
In feeding use only clean pals.
Feed the calf little less than it wants.
Reduce the amount of milk one-half
If the animal becomes sick.
The amount of milk fed can be grad
ualy increased until at the end Of OF the
second week the calf receives from IA to
6 pounds OF milk a day At this time
tine gradual substitution of skim milk for
whole milk may commence. Hay and
grain should be placed before the calf
at this period. and it will be found to
nibble at them a little. At the end OF
the third week the substitution Of the
skim milk will be complete. BY slow
changes the milk can be increased
thereafter until 20 pounds day are fed;
this amount will be found sufficient when
fed with the grain and hay. II skim
milk is plentiful more may be fed, but
the added amount will not give propor-
tIonatey better results
Corn meal. bran. and oil meal. mixed
in the proportion of three. two, and one
make an excellent graf. mixture. This
grain when fed with plenty Of fine clover
hay makes an ideal supplement to skim
milk in balancing the ration.
Calves should be allowed all the grain
that they will eat until they consume
pounds day; from this point the feeder
should use his Judgment as to whether
an increase is justified.
The calf. from the time it is two weeks
OF age. should always have access to
plenty of clean. pure water.
The general practice is to feed calves
skim milk for from two to six months.
In the latter case, with fall calves the
time of final weaving from milk comes
in the spring, when pastures are ready.
Under this system the calves usually
make excellent growth during the entir e
period without any break in gains.