10 JiLY, 1916.1 The raising of Dairy Heifers. 391 



Chaff and bran may be given when pastures are scanty, and silage is 

 relished by them when the taste is acquired ; but avoid mouldy or 

 fermenting food, as scours are certain to result. 



A cupful of limeM'ater given in the milk once daily reduces the scour. 



Linieirattr. — Place a few handfuls of quicklime in a tub and fill up 

 with water. Stir up, and allow to settle; the clear water is limewater. 

 When used, fill and stir up again until all the lime is absorbed, which 

 may be seen by breathing through a tube into the limewater. If lime 

 is present, the water will become cloudy. If all the lime has been 

 used up, the water will remain clear, and iiore lime needs adding. 



liingirorin . — This skin disease is very prevalent amongst calves. 

 White scaly patches appear, without hair — most abundant about the 

 head and neck. It is caused by a vegetable parasite. The patches may 

 be destroyed by applying red mercurial blistering ointment, made by 

 mixing one part biniodide of mercury with sixteen parts of lard. The 

 parts should be prepared by scraping ofl' the scales before applying the 

 dressing. 



Early maturity must become an important factor in dairy farming 

 as progress is made, and, in perusing the returns, we find this welcome 

 ability strongly inherent in our dairy cattle. 



Even since the breeding of cattle has been seriously entered upon, 

 early maturity has been one of the greatest aims, not only in dairying, 

 but in all branches of live stock husbandry. A much quicker turnover 

 of capital, and a greater return for the food supplied, is obtained from 

 the younger animals, as their powers of digestion and assimilation are 

 more pronounced. 



Cattle which possess iieavy milking qualities at an early age must 

 have an added value, and the performances of the one year and ten- 

 month old heifers, under herd testing conditions, have every claim to 

 recognition. The return of 304 lbs. fat (over £15 worth), and the 

 16 lbs. of 6 per cent, milk on the last day of the nine mouths, speaks 

 well for the breeders and the phenomenal dairy development of their 

 cattle. On appearance, these animals have not suffex'ed in any degree. 

 If the heifer's bodily development receives a check when young by 

 supplying insufficient nutritious food, no amount of extra feeding after- 

 wards can compensate for the former neglect. 



While tlie early maturing qualities of some of our cattle are so 

 strongly developed, there is perhaps a limit in this direction, so much 

 so, tliat tlie constitution of the animal may l)e impaired, and loss of 

 powers of production may result after a few lactation periods. 



The old practice of keeping dairy heifers until three years and over 

 before calving, is a thing of the past, and tlie extra size of tlie animal, 

 or the yield in milk and butter, in no way com|>ensates for what might 

 bo termed one year of idleness. I consider that two years and tliree 

 months is young enough ; but the idea of allowing them to be three years 

 old before coming into profit is false economy. 



When the testing of cows becomes general- -as it must do — oows then 

 will be sold on ])erformance, and their untried heifers on the per- 

 formances of tlieir dams. Greatly incifasinl pric^os to what generally 

 exists to-day will then be obtained. 



