Arizona republican., 1917-03-14
PRE- NATAL FEED
FOR CALVES IS
IMP OR AN I

Feeding the calf should begin before
it is born says Farmers Bulletin III,
Feeding and Management Of Dairy
Calves and Young Dairy Stock, recently
issued by the United States depart
ment of agriculture. Poorly nourished
COWS give birth to weak, puny calves
which are hard to raise. Cows which
have an abundance of palatable and
succulent feed and are in good body
flesh and healthy, thrifty condition at
calving time are more likely to pro-
duce Well-developed, strong, and sturdy
calves, which will respond normally to
proper feed and care.
The calf should always receive its
mothers milk at first, as the colostrum,
or first milk. stimulates the calfs
stomach and other digestive organs to
action. Most dairymen prefer to keep
| the calf with the COW for about 48
hours Immediately after birth II may
be best TO allow a weak calf or one
that does not gain strength readily TO
, remain a longer time, but it is some
times difficult to teach The calf to drink
after sucking the COW for a time and
serious trouble may result from it's fail
ure to obtain food.
! Successful raising of calves requires
absolute cleanliness. Calf pens should
always be kept clean and be supplied
| Win pittly VI dry DtuulllS. DlStdIueu
| feed should be removed from the feed
! boxes. which should be thoroughly
brushed and cleaned each day. All
milk fed should be fresh and clean,
which is true also of other feeds. Milk
pals should be scalded thoroughly with
boiling water, or sterilized with steam
! if possible.
Milk from cows having a coulmun-
icable disease, as tuberculosis, should
! be pasteuriZed Cheated to 145 degrees
! +. and held at that temperature for
| thirty minutes) before it IS fed to
/ calves. Separated milk from q cream
erv also should be p2steuri2cd, be-
cause it is practically impcss Ole to
know that such milk is flee from
/ infection.
Better results are obtained by feed
ing young calves three times a day.
with the periods between feeding as
d. neorly equal as possible. When fed
/ in this way the calf does not over
load its stomach. and the digestion
of the feed is more evenly distrib-
uted throughout the twenty-foui
hours. Regularity in feeding is i'm
portant. When calves are fed but
twice a day the feeding should be
as nearly as possible twelve hours
| apart.
At birth a 5O-poupd calf should
have about eight pounds of whole
milk a day, while Il 100-pound one
| should have about twelve pounds. For
the first four days milk from the
dam should be fed. then that from
any of the other cows N the herd,
| preferably not from any that are
nearly dry. Milk containing not more
| than 4 per cent butter fat is con-
sidered pest.
At the beginning of the third week
| either skim or separated milk may
be substituted for whole milk at
the rate. of one pound day The
daily ration may be increased from
two to four pounds, depending upon
the Vigcr of the calf. When the calf
| does not drink eagerly what is Of
fered the quantity should he cut
down. The ration at the end of the
third week usually should be ap-
proximately one-haf whole and one
half separated. milk. During the
fourth week the change should lee
continued until by the end Of the
week only separated milk is fed, UNI
less the calf is very delicate. With
especially vigorous calves the change
TO separated milk can be made about
a week earlier. The quantity fed can
be increased gradually to eighteen to
twenty pounds a day.
Six months is probably a good
average age dl WHICH ~ Nc1D calves
frc m milk The age depends upon
the cost Of the milk in relation to
the value of the calf. its breed, size
vieor, etc. The season of the year
and the other feeds available also
must be considered. When the best
of hay, silage and good variety
of grains are available, or when good
succulent pasturage can be provided
the calf can be weaned earlier: also
the stronger anG more vigorous the
calf the earlier it can be weaned
On the other hand. the more valuable
the calf the more expense the owner
is warranted in developing it and tn,
later it probably Will be weaned. II
skim or separated milk is plentiful
calves may be fea lrofitahly until
eight or ten months old.
When the calf is in its second week
it should begin to receive grain. and
when one month old it should cal
about half pound of hay. After
this time the quantity OF grain may
be gradually increased, feeding all
that the calf will eat until three
pounds a day is rea ched, probably
during the third month. Grain fed
to supplement separated milk should
never ge mixed with the milk. Ii
is questionable whether the prepare
ton of grain in any way. such as
|
der most circumstances.
Wheat bran is eaten readily by
Young calves. Corn has an excellen;
physiological effect and % a great
extent may take the place of fat re-
moved from skim or separated milk
Experiments tend to show that corr
fed to calves should be cracked
rather than finely ground. Ground
oats are good in grain mixtures when
available, but in many cases cost
much more per unit of feed thar
corn and bran. The following grain
mixtures are recommended in the
bulletin:
ID Three parts cracked corn and
one part wheat bran.
f2) Three parts cracked corn, one
part wheat bran, and one part GROUND
oats.
go Three parts cracked corn. one
part wheat bran, one part GROUND
oats. and one part linseed meal
(D Five parts cracked corn, one
part wheat bran, one part grounl
oats. and one part blood meal.
go Oats. ground.
Glover hay, alfalfa hay, or the mos
paiatable rouehage available should
be given the calf after the second
week Alfalfa is liable TO couse scours-
and should be fed sparirgly at frs
and increased only after the calf get:
accustomed to it. At first, hay should
y be furnished only a handful at {
g tire ard be placed so that it can
not be soiled For the first si2
: months. at least. the cali should re
= cofva al tba of eronI anal