98 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



will need to be held to the cow to get its first meal, which should be done as soon as 

 practicable, since the milk of the dam will strengthen it, and bring the stomach and bowels 

 into healthy action, enabling them to discharge the foetal nutriment they always contain at 

 birth. &quot;Whatever use is to be made of the calf, many consider it the best practice to allow 

 it to remain with the cow for about three days, permitting it to draw all the milk it wants 

 during that time, the milk remaining in the udder to be taken by hand twice a day at the 

 usual time of milking. Neglect in this latter respect might greatly injure the cow for 

 milking purposes, as for instance, if she gives more milk than the calf can take, and a 

 portion is left to produce inflammation in the udder. Besides, the milk of the cow will not 

 be fit for use until after the expiration of at least three days, and if the udder should be 

 inflamed and hardened, nothing will so soften and reduce the inflammation as this natural 

 method of its being drawn by the calf. 



Another practice preferred by others, is to separate the calf at once from the cow, not 

 permitting it to suckle the dam at all, except where there is a hard and swollen condition of 

 the udder. In such cases the calf is taken after birth to a warm, dry place, out of sight and 

 hearing of the dam, where it is rubbed dry, and when able to stand, is fed with new milk 

 warm from the cow, which is given it regularly three or four times a day for the first two 

 weeks. When not direct from the cow, it should be warmed. The advocates of this practice 

 claim that it prevents the cow from becoming strongly attached to the calf as it would by 

 having it remain with her any length of time, after which its removal would cause her to 

 fret and mourn for it to the extent of causing her to withhold her milk. 



This method is practiced in Holland. It seems to us that, all things considered, it is 

 better, and attended with less care and labor to the farmer, to permit the calf to remain with 

 the dam, at least, for the first twenty-four hours after birth, leaving them as quietly to 

 themselves as possible. Where the udder of the cow is considerably distended, it may be 

 best to milk the cow at once after calving, but where this is not the case, we should allow 

 the calf, if he is strong and able to draw the milk, to reduce it first. 



Calves for Teal. When the calf is designed for veal, he should have all the milk 

 that he will take direct from the cow, by having access to her at morning and night. He 

 should be fastened with a strap about the neck with three or four feet of rope, and confined 

 to a limited space away from the cow, at other times, where he will have plenty of pure air, 

 and clean bedding. The flesh of calves confined in foul stables is unfit for food, it not only 

 being unhealthy, by the blood of the animal being poisoned by breathing such air, but the 

 flesh will be tainted with it. The milk of the dam, and an abundance of it, is required to 

 make the best veal. Sometimes oatmeal, cooked or raw, cooked corn meal, or oil meal is 

 fed besides, in small quantities. In such cases the quantity should be very small at first, 

 and gradually increased. 



Rearing by Hand. When a calf is to be raised, it should be separated from the cow 

 on the second or third day, or sooner if deemed desirable, and tied in a comfortable stall 

 out of her sight. A strap should be fastened about his neck in such a manner that his pull 

 ing upon it will not cause it to tighten and choke him. He should have sufficient play to 

 his rope to permit him to change his position, exercise a little, and lie down comfortably; 

 from three to four feet will be sufficient. Give him plenty of nice bedding, and keep his 

 stall clean. He should be taught to drink by bringing his muzzle down to the milk in a 

 pail or trough, and be permitted to suck the fingers at first. After feeding in this manner a 

 few times, he will soon learn to drink, although some calves will learn more readily than 

 others. He should be fed with new, warm milk three times a day for the first two weeks, 

 in sufficient quantity to satisfy hunger. Feed regularly and liberally, although do not go 

 to the extreme of gorging. 



