The Ordway new era., 1921-06-24
CALF FED TO WEAVING TIME

The feeding OF beef calf from
birth until 1t Is weaned is a very siin-
pie matter If its mother gives miik
enough to nourish 1t properly. Inc
principal part of the calfs ration'
therefore. may be cheaply ana saIeiy
provided by giving its mother the
proper feeds for the production OF
milk. Do not feed the COW too heaVhy
on grain soon after she has dropped
the calf. While 1t Is important tIat
the calf have plenty of milk at al
Zines, II should never have too mucA'
especially soon utter birth. Inc toi-
lowing suggestions are designed par
:icularly for select animals chosen es-
oecially for breeding purposes, says
the United States Department OF AGri-
culture.
A calf dropped in the fall or WIN
:er probably will do better If Kept sep
irated from its mother and allowed TO
suck night and morning. In summer
It should be provided with lot fof
exercise and pasture in the daytime,
and during the winter with Well
1edded box stall at night. When the
.alf is from four to six weeks old II Is
1 good plan to bring 1t from the lot
.ar3y in the morning, allow 1t to suck.
hen take it TO the pen or stall to be
led some grain. 1t should also be
sucked at night before grain is fei,
.hen taken out to the grass lot or be
led little hay in the stall. To be
hept contented when away from its
mother calf should run with other
,alves. A bull calf should be separated
from the heifers at the age of three
or four months. Ii the calf is dropped
late in winter or spring 1t may be
more convenient to allow it TO run
with its dam for several months on
pasture
Since milk Is natures food for the
,alf it would be reasonable to suppose
that milk alone is sufficient feed for
It. In all cases, however, it should be
provided with little grain in addition
TO milk. If both the COW and the calf
nave good pasture and the COW is Civ
Ing milk enough, the calf will grow TO
0eaning age in good condition with
ess grain than otherwise would be
needed Frequently, however, the
amounts of both pasture and milk are
somewhat limited. Then the feeding
of more grain is absolutely essential
for best results.
When from four to six weeks old
calf may be taught to cut grain. This
may be done by feeding it in creep
or pen to which the COW does not have
access. Wheat bran is an excellent
feed for this purpose. A good ration
for the first few weeks would be
coarsely ground corn, oats and wheat
bran, equal parts by weight, with
small quantity of oil meal added every
few days Feed the calf at first one.
fourth of pound of grain day, or
Just what it will eat up clean, giving
one-half Of the amount night and
morning. After few weeks ration
Of whole oats four pssts, sheled corn
two parts, and oil meal one part by
weight should be substituted for the
ground feeds. The calf should be eat.
ing from two to three pounds of grain
a day when six months old, or approx
imately one-half to one pound of grain
per 100 pounds live weight.
Unless the COW has been giving suf.
icient milk previous to this age of the
calf. it may he advisable to provide a
curse COW for the calf. To make the
most satisfactory growth the calf
should have liberal supply of milk
FOR several months longer. This is
especially true if it is to make maxi
mum growth and show to the best ad.
santage when the fair season arrives.
BY being fed in the way described. it
should make continuous growth from
birth. -