The Clio messenger., 1918-01-18

prepared by the United states Depart
ment of Agriculture)
Poorly nOurished cows give birth to
weak. puny calves which are hard to
raise. The feeding of the calf, there
fore. begins before 1t Is born. The food
elements necessary for the develop
ment of the calf are taken into the
stomach of the COW, digested, assimi-
lated, and transmitted to the calf
through the umbilical cord, the con-
nection between the mother and the
calf. 1t Is evident that If the COW does
not receive food enough to keep her
self in thrifty condition and at the
same time develop her calf, both she
and the calf must suffer. In endeav-
oring to raise good, thrifty calves many
dairymen handicap themselves at the
start by not properly feeding the preg-
nant cows. Such cows should have an
abundance Of palatable and succulent
or juicy feed In order to insure good
body flesh and healthy, thrifty condi-
tion at calving time. The calves will
then be well developed, strong, and
sturdy, and ready to respond normally
to proper feed and care.
Separation From Cow.
1t is assumed that the calf Is not to
be raised by sucking the COW, but Is to
be fed by hand. The longer it sucks,
therefore, the more difficult 1t will be
to teach 1t to drink. On the other
hand, the first Tor colostrum) milk of
the cow possesses properties which
stimulates the calf's stomach and other
digestive organs to action. ColOstrum
is natures physic, and for this reason
the young calf should always receive
its mothers milk at first. The calf is
sometimes weak at birth, and for this
reason should have nourishment as
soon as possible. 1t is usually easier
to induce the calf to suck the COW than
to try to make II drink from the pail.
Because of these facts most dairymen
prefer to let the calf remain with its
mother for about 48 hours immediate
ly after birth. An additional advantage
Of this practice is that the dam will
carefully dry the calf by licking within
the first few hours Of its life. In the
case of weak calf or one that does
not gain strength readily 1t may be
best to allow it to remain longer than
4S hours, although under such circum
stances 1t is sometimes difficult to
teach the calf to drink, and serious
trouble may result from its failure to
obtain food.
Teaching Calf to Drink.
1t is desirable that the calf be in
thrifty, vigorous condition when 1t Is
taught to drink. 1t should be kept
without food for at least II hours, al
the end of which time 1t will be hungry
and will usually drink milk from the
pail much more readily than when not
hungry. Warm, fresh milk from the
mother should be put into a clean pail
and held near the floor, il front of the
calf, which will generally begin tC
nose" about the pail. Once it gets a
taste of milk, it will usually drink
without further trouble. Often, how
ever, it is necessary for the attendant
to put one or two fingers into the
calf's mouth, drawing the hand dowr
INTO the milk as the calf begins to suck
the fingers. The calf In this way gets
a taste of the milk and often begins Il
drink without further coaxing. If not
the process must be repeated. Some
times, however, the calf cannot be in
duced to drink in this way, and force
has to be resorted to. In such case
the feeder, facing the same direction
as the calf, should straddle its neck
and back the animal into n corner
The pail of milk should be held in one
hand and the nose of the calf grasped
with the other, two fingers being in its
mouth. The nose of the calf is then
forced into the milk, when 1t will usual
ly begin to drink.
Sometimes valuable calf, too weak
at birth either to suck the COW or to
drink from a pail, can be saved by
feeding from bottle, either with or
without a nipple.
Cleanliness First Essential.
Cleanliness is absolutely essential to
the successful raising of calves. This
is equally necessary In feed, pens, bed
ding, and pals or utensils. All milk
fed should be fresh and clean. and the
same Is true of other feeds. Calf pens
should always be kept clean and be
filed with plenty of dry bedding. Great
care should be taken In washing the
milk pals. These should be thorough
ly scalded with boiling water, or ster-
ilized with steam IL possible. Discard
ed feed should be removed from the
feed boxes, which should be thorough
ly brushed and cleaned each day. At
tepffon IN thoca dafaiIa ia tho host pra-