The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1915-12-10
FEEDING and CARE
OF DAIRY HEIFERS

To be worth raising for dairy pur-
poses, heifer should have dam
which is a high producing COW and a
sire which is from high producing
COW. She should be strong healthy
calf. She should not be twin with a
male. The present careless methods
Of breeding. still practiced in many
herds, must give place to more care
full and systematic methods.
Feeding
In a sense, the care of the calf
should begin before it is born. The
cow which is soon to freshen should
be kept in clean dry place, prefer
ably large, we'll bedded box stall and
should be seen by the person in
charge several times each day in or
der that he may be there when the
calf arrives or soon thereafter to see
that all goes well. In most cases, the
calf will be able to get up and nurse
within an hour after it is born but oc-
casionally it needs assistance. There
is always a risk in allowing cow to
calve in the pasture or elsewhere
without attention.
1t is we'll to remove the calf from
the cow by evening of the third day,
and it may be removed as soon as it
has had one good nursing of the cows
milk. When the calf is weak, it
should be left with the COW for at
least day or two. 1t should have
the mothers milk for the frst5 to 7
days unless the udder is diseased and
the milk bad. Her milk at this time
has the proper physical effect on the
calf, starting promptly the action of
the digestive tract. 1t it does well
until 10 days of age, it will probably
continue to do well; barring all acci-
dents and poor care.
If taken from the COW early, the
calf usually learns to drink more
quickley. At first it may be fed a
small quantity of milk three times a
day, though twice daily is usually suf-
ficient. The amount of milk fed
should vary from 6 to 10 pounds (6 to
10 pints) daily, depending on the size
and vigor of the calf and the quality
or richness of the milk. Very rich
milk may be diluted with one-third as
much warm water. After the cali
is one week old, this amount of mill
may be raised to to IL pounds daily
that is, two feeds of A to pounds
each. Calves which are being raised
for dairy purposes need not receive
more than IL to 16 pounds of milk pei
day even when changed to skimmilk
If the calf is to be fattened for veal
more milk should be fed.
It is quite common practice for
farmers who are not selling their milk
to feed their calves too much skim
milk. This overfeeding is the cause
of much indigestion and securing.
Only warm, sweet, whole milk should
be fed until the calf is two weeks of
age. 1t is possible to begin changing
to skimmilk and adding other feeds al
ten days of age, if the calf is strong
and vigorous. If the calf is not very
strong or vigorous, the change should
not be started until it is three weeks
old. Better and more growthy calves
will be secured. if the whole milk is
continued even longer thanthree weeks
During the first few days and dur
ing any change in feed, the condition
of the calf should be watched careful
ly. If there are signs of indigestion
~or securing, treat as given later, anC
it may be necessary to return to the
previous method of feeding for short
time. When the change to slzimmill
is to be made, it should be done at the
rate of u to / pound ~ to 1 pint,
daily, the rapidity of the change de-