hfport of the agriculturist 51 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Tins system is also the one followed to serve as a check system or basis of comparison 

 where other sj-stems or rations or foodstuffs are being tried. 



EEEEDING AND FEEDING THE DATEY CALF. 



The robvist, healthy, vigorous and probably profitable dairy calf is the result of 

 wise mating and judicious feeding. 



THE SIRE. 



The sire should have been a pure bred animal coming from heavy milking 

 ancestry on both sides. lie should have been kept in good health and in serviceable 

 condition by careful feeding' and sufficient exercise. A mature sire is likely to throw 

 more vigorous stock than a young immature animal. Bulls may be expected to 

 prove efficient as stock getters till 8 or 9 years of age and even later. 



THE DAM. 



The cow should be kept in good health and in good condition while carrying a 

 calf. Particularly is this true the G or 8 weeks immediately preceding delivery. The 

 m.ature cow shoidd be dried off at least G weeks previous to dropping the next calf. 



In the case of the heifer with her first calf she should have been fed generovisly 

 and wisely during the whole period of pregnancy. Her food should have been such as 

 would have been suitable for a cow in full flow of milk. The most suitable foods be- 

 ing pasture grass, clover hay, roots, ensilage, bran^ oats and oil meal. She should 

 drop her first calf when about 2 years old. 



THE CALF TO RAISE. 



Objection is sometimes made to raising calves from heifers. If the heifers have 

 been properly mated and wisely fed during pregnancy the calves are likely to prove as 

 satisfactory as stock from older cows. In the case of grade heifers, however, it may 

 scarcely be considered wise to raise the first calf since the milking qualities being 

 unknown the breeder might later find himself with a six or nine months calf from 

 an unsatisfactory cow on his hands. 



AT CALVING TIME. 



The cow should be placed in a box stall a few days before due to calve. She should 

 be kept on a somewhat lighter ration than usual and her food should be rather laxa- 

 tive in character, bran, clover, roots or ensilage. 



The calf may be left with her for two or three days. She should be milked in 

 addition to what the calf draws from her. In the case of very heavy milking cows 

 likely to suffer from milk fever it is advisable to stop short of drawing off all the 

 milk for three or four days. This practice has saved us all trouble from milk fever 

 for the last five or six years. 



Only a light ration should be fed for several days after calving and the cow should 

 be brought to full feed very gradually, say in three weeks after parturition. 



FEEDING THE CALF. 



The calf should be removed from the cow the second or third day. It should then 

 be taught to drink. This may be done about as follows: — Take a quart of warm 

 IG-^i 



