Milford chronicle., 1935-01-18
PRODUCING HEAVIER AND
STRONGER CALVES At BIRTH
By DR.. John NJ. Evvard
Formerly Professor Animal Hus-
bandry Iowa State College

Too often the new born calves
when they come in the springtime
are weak and undeFweight because
Of INADEQUATE feeding Of the mother
cows during the winter season. In
adequate ratiOns fed the COW often
times result in increased labor and
much more trouble at the time of
calving. Down in the Southwest a
cattleman by the name Of Lantow
found that by simply adding calcium
! phosphate or bone meal to the salt
I box, about half and half for COWS
! on the open range he secured mark
edly better results at calving time.
The calves came larger and strong-
! eT, the cows experienced much less
| difficulty at the time of parturitiOn,
and likewise the COWS proved to be
better mixers during the suckling
period, with the happy result that
the calves grew to be much heavier
at weaving time. Many cattlemen
who carry their cows on an open
range or on winter pastures find
that the addition Of a pound or so
per COW daily of soybean oil meal
or cake or cotton seed meal or cake,
fed in the latter months of pregnan-
cy helps out greatly in producing
better calf crops. Both sOybean oil
meal and cotton seed meal happen
to be rich in protein, energy units
or fattening calories, and also pro-
vide a liberal supply Of phosphorus
and some extra calcium, these being
the same two products that are pro-
vided so literally by bone meal.
In the corn belt likewise sOybean
oil meal as well as cotton seed meal
are often fed with great advantage
to cows which are wintered on corn
silage and nOn-leguminus rough
ages. all Of these being low in the
elements provided by a good pro-
tein supplement such as cotton seed |
meal. SOybean oil meal in combina-
tiOn, or the latter alone, are also !
used to economic and nutritiOnal ad- !
vantage throughout the country, |
particularly in the northern, middle |
western andeastern United States. /
A happy combination of these !
three mentioned feeds blended with
minerals. and certain specific in
gradients such as alfalfa meal,
wheat bran, all sweetened with a
little feeding mOlasses has proven
to be a successful COW strengthen
ing feed supplement, this as judged
by the results secured in added
gains and improved health during
the pregnancy period. stronger as
well as heavier young with a mini
mum Of delivery trouble at calYing
time. and better milk production
combined with more marked moth
erly disposition on the COWS during
the sucking days.
Those who have had difficulty In
producing the right kind Of calf crop
In the spFingtime may do well, no
matter where they are located, to
pay more. attention to the supple
mentatiOn of the feeds used in the
ration during the winter time with
adequate additions Of good prOteins,
plus acceptable minerals-empha-
sizing the best .mineral eombina-
ions which include salt, a calcium
md phosphorus carrier, and like
wise materials which provide cop
per, iron and iodine in sufficient
mounts. Surprising results of a re-
character have been Sc
,ured on many and many a farm !
IT ranch simply by following out in
IN aggressive intelligent way the
IuggestiOns hereinbefore made. {
Feed those COWS well on adequate 1
eed combinations during the win !
er season II you would have an ac-
eptable crop Of calves that would {
rOspsr alongside their thriving mo- ]
hers. s