548 Transactions op the 



working at the bag at pleasure during the rest of the twenty-four 

 hours. 



Excepl as above, it is better to remove the calf after twenty-four 

 hours, allowing it the slight medicinal action of the colostrum (warm 

 from the teat") during this time. After this it should for a week have 

 only its mother's milk to drink, and until it is well established — say for 

 the first fortnight — it should be fed three times a day. After this the 

 feeding may be restricted to two meals per day, and other milk than the 

 dam's may be substituted. "When three weeks old, if health}' and 

 sprightly, a little warmed skimmed milk may be introduced into the 

 fresh, and the quantity of this may be increased until, at the end of six 

 weeks, skimmed milk (always warmed) constitutes the exclusive diet. 

 If, during this transition, the calf shows a tendency to scouring, the pro- 

 portion of skimmed milk should be lessened, and after its return to health 

 should be increased with great care. 



Fine hay may be eaten, in small quantities, at a very early age; so 

 may oats; but bran should never he given to calves, because of its irri- 

 tating, relaxing effect on the bowels; and it is better to keep them en- 

 tirely from grass till at least three months old, and, perhaps, even until 

 their second Summer. 



During the first Winter the calf should be kept chiefly, if not entirely, 

 upon hay, in order that in satisfying its appetite it shall consume the 

 greatest bulk of food possible, thereby extending its digestive organs 

 (its future laboratorium) as full}- as possible. 



The question of the age of bulls is often influenced by the unruly dis- 

 position shown by mature animals. It is a common belief that Jersey 

 hulls are especially vicious after two or three years old. The writer, 

 with an experience of a number of mature animals, never having had 

 one the least unruly, believes that the development of the vicious ten- 

 dency is mainly the result of improper treatment. Bulls kept to them- 

 selves in dark or dimly-lighted stalls, approached but rarely, and then 

 too often with fear, do undoubtedly become veiy unmanageable; but, if 

 kept tied in the same range of stalls with the cows, constantly accus- 

 tomed to the presence of man and to the visits of strangers, petted and 

 patted and familiarly handled, they seem to remain docile to their full 

 age. Observation of other herds, in which bulls are treated in this way, 

 confirms this impression. 



THE MANNER OF FEEDING. 



There is not very much to be said concerning the feeding of the Jer- 

 sej's, as distinguished from other cows. The rule applies in their case, 

 as in all others, that the nutriment should be ample for the perfect sus- 

 tenance of the animal's organization, and, beyond this, for the production 

 of the largest possible yield of milk. Profit in feeding any stock is de- 

 rived entirely from the excess of food beyond what is required to main- 

 tain a good condition and supply the natural wastes of the body. As 

 stated by an experienced farmer, the proposition is thus: "If you feed 

 six quarts, you get nothing back; if you feed nine quarts, you get back 

 a little; if you feed twelve quarts, you get back a great deal." 



The best feed, so far as the cow is concerned, though not the most 

 economical, is a good range of luxuriant-growing pasture, in which the 

 grasses are sweet and nutritious. Tethering leads to the more complete 

 depasturing of the ground, and gives sufficiently good results. The use 

 of grass for soiling is still more economical, where the relation between 



