Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-08-21
Developing the Dairy tieifer.

(By b. NJ. Tucker. Asst. Bureau of Animal In
1 dustry)
The most critical period of q calls
! life, IL life alone Is considered, Ia the
| first six months. This was ably discuss.
ed by Mr.. Adams of this bureau in a
recent article. However, II the future
usefulness of the heifer as q dairy cew
is the point considered, then the critical
period Is between the time she is weaned
from milk and the time she drops her
first calf. ! believe q good dairy cow
can oftentimes be made or ruined dur
ing this period of her life. There are
various ways of raising heifers, hardly
any two farmers using the same method
and, / am sorry to say, so little thought
Is given to actually developing dairy
quality and capacity that very seldom q
farmer has q method, and 80 the heifers
one year may have q very different
chance in life from those of another year.
Space will not permit going into de-
tail in this short article as to the best
method of developments; but I wish to
call attention to some Of the essentials.
First, health. Given the same opportu-
nifty for education, which is the better
fitted for life's work, a youth bred and
reared in the country or in the city?
The country fellow, of course, because
of the health and strength gained from
the pure air and the exercise of life in
the open. The body is developed with
full, strong lungs and hard muscles
which, once attained, will prove q great
asset all through life. The same is true
of the young dairy stock while being
raised. The tie-up, plenty of grain,
blankets and grooming will turn out
beautiful heiter for the show ring, but
should not be carried too far il you want
profitable cow In after years. Give as
much exercise as possible, winter as
we'll as summer. The next essential is
feed-feed that will produce growth and
proper development. Feed, at all times,
should be abundant, so that as much
growth as possible may be attained be-
fore the heifer begins her life of useful
ness as dairy cow; but her feed should
not be given in concentrated form, or
at least as little of it as may be. In
summer, the pasture should be so
abundant that the heifer can make a
good growth without any grain. Even
If the heifer lost some of the fat and
bloom she had before being out to pas
ture, / should not worry. II, however,
the pasture Is poor, or becomes so from
dry weather, and the heifer does not get
enough to make a good growth then
something should be done; but ideal
conditions would be q good pasture
where the heifer would make good,
steady growth of body, although per-
haps losing some superhuous fat. Then,
in the fall, take her out of the pasture
before short feed and cold storms tell on
her. Many farmers make q great mis-
take right here in letting the young
stock run for a month or six weeks
after they should have dry shed to
sleep in and some extra roughage for
feed.
Winter care should also include plenty
of fresh air and exercise. consider shed
with plenty Of air space, but perfectly
tight so as to avoid drafts, with doors
on the south side opening into yard to
to which they can have free access every
pleasant day, the ideal winter quarters
for growing heifers. Her feed should
consist for the most part of roughage,
the idea being to develop paunch
capacity so that in future years she will
have q well-developed digestive machine,
capable of handling large quantities OF
raw material and turning out pro-
portionally large amount OF market
able product. Do not, however, think
that the heifer can be fed on meadow
hay or straw to develop her, for she
must develop something else as well rs
the size of her stomach. She must Dc
kept growing, consequently the very
best roughsge is none too good. Good,
early-cut clover hay, or second crop
with good corn silsge, will do the trick,
and with a small grain ration OF bran,
ground oats, and linssed meal, will
make large, handsome heifers, with the
yigor and conformation for future use
fulness. When the heifer is within tour
months of freshening, one should pegin
to increase the grain ration until, ior
the last two months, at least, the neher
receives from eight to twelve pounds per
day, according to the size OF the amman,
and the last month this ration should be
changed gradually to one containing
more protein, nearer, in fact, to what
she will receive after she freshens.
This extra grain before freshening, you
will find to be q wonderfully good In
ysstment. and it will return you big In
terest. provided, of course, that you
have the making of dairy animal.
With q "bred in" dairy tendency, the
larger and fatter you can get the heiter
before she drops her first calf the better
producer she will make.-Maine Depart
msnt of Agriculture, JOHN A. ROBERTS,
Commissioner.