FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR HOOK— PART X 767 



pounds of corn silage, all the clover or alfalfa hay they desire and 

 a grain mixture of 3 parts ground oats, 2 parts bran and 1 part 

 oil meal. The amount of grain per day is to be governed by 

 the individual animal. Animals thin in flesh may be given a 

 small quantity of corn but should not be crowded, but rather fleshed 

 up gradually. Timothy hay and cottonseed meal are not desirable 

 as they are rather constipating, while laxative feeds are needed 

 at this time. Too large a quantity of corn is likely to have a bad 

 effect upon the system. It is well to reduce the ration slightly just 

 prior to calving as by so doing the danger of milk fever and after- 

 calving troubles is decreased to some extent. 



A few days before calving put the cow in a clean, disinfected, well 

 bedded box-stall, if her bowels are not moving freely, a dose of 3-4 

 to 1 pound of epsom salts or one quart of raw linseed oil will prove 

 very beneficial. A grain ration of 2 parts bran and 1 part oil meal 

 is very good at this time. 



For a few days after calving the cow's drinking water should be 

 luke warm. In addition to alfalfa or clover hay and a small quan- 

 tity of silage, she should be fed bran mashes or a small allowance 

 of bran, oil meal and ground oats. If the cow does not pass the 

 after-birth promptly and the man in charge does not understand 

 the anatomy of the reproductive organs, a competent veterinarian 

 should be called; that should be done also when the cow has diffi- 

 culty in calving. 



CARE OF COW FIRST THIRTY DAYS AFTER CALVING. 



If the cow has been properly cared for the first three days she 

 may then be placed on dry and more solid food. The manner in 

 which she is fed during the next thirty days determines largely 

 the character of the work she will do during her lactation period. 

 Experienced feeders of beef cattle realize that thirty days are re- 

 quired to get steers on full feed, and likewise the dairy cow needs 

 to be given thirty days. Without doubt parturition weakens the 

 digestive apparatus and heavy feeding soon after calving is liable 

 to be followed by indigestion, bloat or impaction. During the first 

 thirty days after parturition the maternal instinct is at its highest 

 pitch and during this time, if properly cared for, the cow^ can be 

 brought to her greatest possible milk flow. 



To do this, the feeds must be suited to the individual cow's needs. 

 Beginning on the fourth day with five pounds of grain daily, the 

 ration should be increased slowly — say at the rate of 1-2 pound 

 each alternate day. This rate of increase is rapid enough, for the 

 cow will respond as well to a half pound increase as she will to a 

 pound. This increase may continue just as long as the cow con- 

 tinues to increase profitably in her milk flow. Wlien she ceases to 

 respond, then the feed should be lessened in the same gradual man- 

 ner for a few days and it will, as a rule, be noted that the cow will 

 further increase in milk flow. The feed given on the day she begins 

 to decline in milk determines practically the amount of grain she 

 should receive. Much less than this amount will not compel her 

 best work and any additional feed will be w^orse than wasted. 



The exact amount and quality of the food will be determined 

 by the condition and individuality of the cows. Seldom do two 



