REARING STOCK CALVES. 269 



We have raised stock calves in different ways, but in none so 

 satisfactory as oil their mother's milk, drawn by themselves. It 

 is more expensive, where the milk is of considerable value, we 

 admit, but less troublesome to the farmer. Our way is to let the 

 calf take according to its necessities, and the quantity the cow 

 gives one, two, or three teats first drawing clean what can be 

 spared to the dairy, from the teats so milked, and then letting 

 the calves take the residue. "We are satisfied that one-third less 

 milk drawn by the calf from the cow, will give as much nourish- 

 ment as the full quantity fed him by hand. The saliva secreted 

 in the process of sucking is beneficial in aiding the digestion, 

 such being the natural process. Cows that are good milkers 

 will thus rear a stock calf, to three or four months old, on one- 

 half or one-third of their milk, and when the increased value of the 

 heifer calves for future dairy cows is considered, the value of the 

 milk they take for three or four months may be a good invest- 

 ment in them. For convenience, two calves may be nursed by 

 one cow, which is often preferred, as by such method the remain- 

 ing cows may be devoted altogether to dairy use. 



After four months, the calf, if intended only for stock, or dairy 

 purposes, may be turned out to pasture without further hand 

 feeding, or nursing at the cow. The grass should be good, with 

 water always at hand. In this way the calf will be in good con- 

 dition for going into winter quarters. Then, with enough good, 

 soft hay, or corn blades, salt once a week, and plenty of good 

 water, it will go through the winter well, and come out a thrifty, 

 sprightly yearling at the next grass. Oats in the grain, or corn, 

 pea, rye, buckwheat, or barley meal, at the rate of a pint, or 

 quart a day, in addition to their ordinary forage, is an excellent 

 food for stock calves, and will add to their growth and condition; 

 but if the hay, or corn blades be choice in quality, they will go 

 through well without grain. We have thus reared, and seen 

 reared by others, very fine thorough bred calves to yearlings, 

 minding only, to give them all they would eat. 



