Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-02-01
skimmllk and Cali Rearing.

l have made calf rearing my business
for over twenty years, and during tb'
last fifteen years have placed my chic
reliance on skimmilk. For growing
calves consider separator sklmmilk a
least equal to whole milk, though calves
will not lay on a. much fat a. they viii
when whole milk is fed; but they will
make a. good growth and be "a thrifty
on skimmilk. There is nothing in butter
fat that calf can use in building body
tissue. Butterfat can be converted into
body heat and body fat, and nutriment
for this purpose can be supplied more
cheaply with fax meal, which contains
from 80 percent to IS percent oil.
Ny system of feeding Is very uniform.
When the calf is dropped / let 1t suck
once and then reuove it from the dam.
| II 1t is. removed in the morning give II
no feed until the following morning;
this Is done so the calf will be hungry
and will drink the milk without the fin
ger. I give from three to four pints OF
mothers milk twice day, Immediately
after milking the dam. A small, calf
gets three pints and q large calf four
pints. This continue for about one
week. Then for one week I give 1t
whole milk half and skimmilk half
twice day, giving it only from three to
four plnts. The third week feed all
separator skimmilk, but put in the milk
a teaspoonfal Of ground fax. Igradual-
ly increase the skimmilk and fax meal
so that by the end of the fourth month
it is receiving hesping tablespoonful
of fax meal and ten pints OF milk twice
a day. After the first month 1t has &C.
cess to little early cut hay and . little
whole oats or a mixture of whole oats
and bran or shorts.
The important points are strict regu-
larity in time of feeding, quantity and
temperature of milk, which should be
from 9s to 100 degrees F. From the first
of June the skimmilk should be pasteur.
ICED so it will not get sour.
Il has been the general opinion among
farmers that separator skimmilk was
not strong or nutritious feed and that
a large mess must be given to make up
in quantity what they supposed 1t lack
ed in quality, and the result was that
calves were overfed and indigestion
would be produced, which was followed
by scours and bloat. II directions are
strictly followed the calf will always act
more hungry after taking its meal than
it did before, but it Is better thus than
to give 1t larger mess and then have
case of scours or bloat on your hands.
The milk should be measured every
time with a clean tin cup, or weighed
with balance scale.
Each calf should be fed by itself out of
a clean tin pail. which should be washed
and scalded after each feeding just as
thoroughly and carefully as one does the
milk pals. Place the calves in small
stanchions while they are being fed, SO
they will not get into the habit OF sucking
each other. Have the little manger in
front of them wide enough 30 an ordi-
nary tin pail containing the mess OF milk
can be set into it. Have partitions plsc-
ed in the mapger and when 1t has taken
the milk, take out the pail and II the
calf is old enough to eat oats or bran,
throw in about a tablespoonful and 1t
will soon get in the habit of chewing
oats as soon as 1t has taken the milk.
When through with its milk the calf
wants to do something, and If it is not
confined in q stanchion or tied out of
reach of another calf, it will amuse It.
self by sucking its neighbours ears. The
bottom of the manger should be dress
ed board about ten inches wide, and
should be 80 adjusted that it can be
taken out once q week and scrubbed
with hot water and soap, for the msnger
must be kept absolutely sweet and clean.
Prof. T. L. Hacker in The Ayrshire