The Ordway new era., 1917-08-17
Dairy Farming
and Its Benefits


lent apoplexy is another scourge of
the dairy. twin to abortion. 1t is an
affection which comes without warm
ing, attacks the deepest and richest
mixers, is sudden in attack, rapid in
progress, and generally fatal. The
symptoms are a chill, twitching of
the head muscles, failure to eat,
chew the cud, or pass manure; dis
tended udder without milk, intensi-
bility of the hind quarters when
pinched or pricked; later the COW be-
comes unsteady on her hind legs, and
presently drops. Good cows should
be carefully watched for forty-eight
hours after calving. and If such warn
ings appear veterinarian can not
be called too soon. Preventative
measures form the best assurance
Of the owner against losses from
this cause. The COW should have
abundant exercise up to the week
before calving.' and then quiet and
good care, with daily grooming and
active rubbing. Keep the bowels ac-
tive with proper food, or purgatives
If necessary. Insure comfort, guard
against, cold. and endeavor to main
tain active circulation on the surface
Of the body. A strong dose of physic
and brisk grooming may be used i'm
mediately after calving in the case
believed to be predisposed to milk
fever.
CARE OF YOUNG CALVES AND
STOCK
Handling and feeding calves
Among dairy cattle the best practice
is to remove the calf from the COW
within twenty-four hours after it's
birth and at once teach it to drink.
This separation may be delayed until
the cows milk assumes the normal
condition, but as rule the earlier
the calf is taken in hand and its feed
ing regulated the better for the calf.
The younger It is the easier 1t learns
to drink. 1t is also better for the
dairy cow to be regularly MIXED by
hand than to suckle calf. The milk
of good cows is often too rich for
their calves, and the latter are apt to
take too much II left to help them
selves. The calf should have the milk
of its dam or some other fresh COW.
and receive it while warm. and at
least three times a day tpreferably
four) for a week or more. During
this time, II the milk is rich. it should
be diluted with warm water one-fifth
to one-third its own bulk, according
to the richness. or the milk may be
kept a few hours. the best OF the
cream removed, and then warmed
and fed. To make good calf. three
feelings day should be kept up for
month or six weeks, and the milk
should be fed warm for longer per-
iod, especially II the weather is cold.
But after ten days or so milk set
twelve hours and lightly skinned
will do, and after 10 days more the
Iskimming may gradually be made
closer until at the end of a month or
soon after, a skim-milk diet is reach
ed.
No rule can be given for quantity
in feeding calves. they differ SO much
in size and food requirements. Judg-
ment must be used, the feeding eff
fects observed, a"d the calf given
not too much. More calves suffer
from overfeeding than from scant
diet. Keep the calf little hungry
and eager for more rather than fl! it
to prevent the beginning of indiges-
tion, which leads to securing and per-
haps fatal diorrhea. Nothing causes
indigestion sooner than overfeeding
or irregularity in the quantity, time
and temperature Of the milk, espec-
tally while the calf is young; and alb
solute cleanliness about the feeding
vessels is essential, with frequent
scalding. II it can with certainty be
kept equally clean. some feeding de-
vice which compels the calf to suck
its milk instead of swallowing rapidly
is preferable to the open pail; but.
all considered, the latter is usually
the best utensil. II gritting the
teeth or other symptoms of indiges-
tion appear, little lime water In the
milk or little baking soda will
usually prove correction. Keep the
calf dry and clean. fairly warm, but
in pure air. and allow 1t exercise. II
It's box il small. turn 1t daily into
covered yard or small paddock.
Young calves like company, but II
kept together are likely to learn bad
sucking habits. Every calf had bot
ter have it, own box stah until =
A~x - - 80 49,. -. 49, :. ~