FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 773 



over 15 per cent. This shows the importance of proper milking 

 and manipulating the udder. 



Grooming: The stimulation of the circulation by proper groom- 

 ing has been found to cause a slight increase in the per cent of fat 

 in the milk. 



REARING TEE CALVES. 



To successfully rear calves a great deal of care and attention 

 must be given them during the first six months. But this care is 

 well warranted and is highly paid for by the greater number of 

 calves saved from the ravages of scours and other diseases and the 

 better quality of mature animals that they make later in life. 



To guard against navel infection, which so frequently causes the 

 death of calves, the following method has proved to be very 

 efficient: 



1. Draw liquid from navel cord as soon as calf is born. 



2. Apply tincture of iodine liberally to cord, both internally and 

 externally. 



3. Dust compound alum powder on the cord every few hours 

 for one day. 



The question of whether the young calf should be left with the 

 cow for a few days or whether it should be taken away immediately 

 is one upon which practical dairymen are not agreed. In most cases 

 it is the practice at the college dairy farm to leave the calf and 

 cow together for two or three days so that the calf may secure the 

 first milk, or colostrum, at the normal temperature, which is quite 

 essential in starting the digestive system properly. Then, too, the 

 calf assists in relieving the inflarnmation in the cow's udder at this 

 time. 



During the first three weeks of the calf's life after being taken 

 from the dam, it should be fed from 2 to 3 1-2 pounds of whole 

 milk three times a day. Care should be taken to feed this milk 

 immediately after being drawn, before it becomes cool. When the 

 calf is three weeks of age it may be fed twice a day and skim milk 

 can gradually and slowly be substituted for a like amount of whole 

 milk. Three more weeks should be used in getting the calf onto a 

 whole ration of skim milk. When it reaches the age of six weeks 

 it should be receiving from 12 to 16 pounds of warm milk per 

 day. Great care should be taken not to over-feed the calf with 

 milk, as more calves arp injured by over-feeding than by under- 

 feeding. At the college farm best results are secured by 16 pounds 

 per day if fed when on full feed. It is usually advisable to continue 

 the skim milk feeding until the calf is about eight months of age. 



GRAIN RATIONS FOR CALVES. 



A grain ration of equal parts corn, oats and bran, with a small 

 quantity of oil meal, should be provided for the calf. Even when 

 but a few weeks old it will begin to eat the grain, and nibble at the 

 hay. It is best to feed cracked corn at first and then later sub- 

 stitute shelled corn. Whole oats are better than ground oats for 

 the young calf. Clover hay, or mixed clover and alfalfa, is superior 



