LECTURE XLV. 



.FEED, CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DAIRY BULL. 



The bull as a calf may be reared in the barn along with 

 the heifers, for a time. At an early age he should be separated 

 from them and kept in a separate pen. His feed should be 

 similar to theirs. When summer comes, have a yard or 

 paddock with a strong fence, in which you can allow him to 

 take exercise. Give him a ration of clover hay and oats, 

 bran, and a little oil cake, with plenty of pure water. Give 

 him protection from the hot sun and flies in summer. He 

 should have a clean box stall when confined. Put a ring in 

 his nose when still young, at say ten or twelve months old. 

 This will tend to make him more tractable. 



Dairy bulls with their highly nervous temperament, are 

 -easily made vicious. You never know what harm a vicious 

 bull is going to do. The part you have to do in this matter 

 Is never to tease the young bull or allow him to be teased. 

 To tease a bull is criminal. You do not know who is going 

 to be the victim. Never rub him on the head. If you do, 

 he will begin to play with his horns, and before you know it 

 he has learned that he has horns, and then comes the danger. 



The young bull should not be allowed to serve cows 

 until at least 18 months old, and then only to a limited 

 number. At 2 years old he may have 30 to 40 cows, and at 

 3 or over, if service is well distributed, he may have 100 



When he is in service he should be well fed. A narrow 

 ration of clover hay, silage, roots and a fairly heavy grain 

 ration (8 pounds), such as we gave the dairy cow oats, 

 bran, peas, oil meal or gluten feed a high protein ration. 



Never let your bull run at large with the cows. It is 

 dangerous in the first place, besides it is unfair to your 

 neighbors. They may have a preference as to the bull they 

 -will use, but if their cows, when in heat, are near your bull, 



