52 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



new milk in a 10 quart pail. Give the calf two fing!ers to suck air between. Gradu- 

 ally lower its nose into the pail. When it finds milk instead of air entering between 

 the fijig'ers it is likely to relax the neck and start 'to take milk. Do not sink the nose 

 so far into the milk as to cover the nostrils. If it will not drinl^ at first, leave it for 

 a few hours to work up an appetite. After a few days it may gradually be weaned 

 from the fingers. 



Whole miUi should be fed for at least one week. During the next week the change 

 from whole milk to skim milk should gradually be brought about. Sulistitute each 

 day a regularly increasing proportion of skim miUt for the same amount of whole 

 milk withdrawn. 



The skim milk should be fed warm, from 90 to 100 degrees Fahr., no more, no less. 

 To replace the fat removed from the skim milk as well as to furnish additional pro- 

 tein, it is well to add some flaxseed jelly to the ration. This jelly should be added in 

 small quantities at first and slowly increased. Begin with a desertspoonful in each 

 portion and gradually increase until about a cupful is being fed night and morning 

 to the three months old calf. 



To prepai'e the jelly, boil or rather steep one pound of whole flaxseed in water 

 almost boiling ixntil a thick paste results. Another method of preparation is to take 

 half a cup of ground flax in a quart of water and allow to simmer just below the boil- 

 ing point until a thick jelly is formed. It should be kept cool and sweet until fed. 



In addition to the flax jelly a little diy bran and whole oats should be fed. Start 

 with very small quantities. Some clean sweet clover hay will be a valuable addition 

 to the ration at a very early age. 



^Vhey may be used where skim miUc is not to be had. Change from mill?: to whey 

 as from whole milk to skim milk (see method outlined above). The flax seed meal 

 jelly, &c., should be used just as with skim millc. 



Where skim milk or whey is not available calves may be raised on hay tea. Boil 

 cut clover or even timothy in water until a strong decoction or tea is obtained. Wean 

 the calf from milk to this tea precisely as described from whole milk to skim milk 

 above. The same supplementary feeds may be used in somewhat larger quantities. 



The skim milli should be fed sweet for some time at least. If it is likely, how- 

 ever, that it will sometimes be sour it is advisable to gradually change to sour milk 

 and feed sour millc invariably. The same counsel applies to whey. 



Calves should be kept in scrupulously clean pens. These should be dry and 

 warm in winter and cool and dry in summer. 



A strict observance of the following general directions will almost certainly ensure 

 success : 



1. Treat calves kindly and carefully. 



2. Be scrupulously clean as to food, pails or troughs and pens or quarters. 



3. Make all changes in character of food very gradually. This applies whether 

 changes be as to temperature percentage of butter-fat, acidity or sweetness, quantity, 

 times of feeding, or any other feature in connection with the food. 



4. Feed only wholesome food, feed regularly, and feed in sufficient quantities but 

 not too generously. 



DAIRY COW RECOEDS. 



KEEPING RECORDS. 



The effort to interest dairymen in the returns from their individual cows has 

 been continued, and many farmers seem to be awakening to a knowledge of the fact 

 that the im^provement of the whole herd demands the study of the unit; that is a 

 close acquaintance with the expenditure upon the individual cow and the returns 

 from the same. 



