238 BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF CALVES 



navel of the calf immediately after birth with twine which 

 had been kept in a solution of lysol ; immediately brush over 

 the hanging end of the navel and the surrounding parts with 

 a solution containing methylated spirits, 2 pints, and iodine, 

 35 grains, and, after drying, with a thick layer of collodion 

 containing I per cent, of iodine, or with Stockholm tar ; 

 remove the calf to a bed of clean carbolised straw. 



The concrete floors of cow-houses and calf-houses require 

 thorough disinfection before calving, and once each week 

 after, with a solution of 2 Ibs. bluestone (sulphate of copper) 

 to every 3 gallons of water; and a calf should be fed 

 on its mother's whole milk for four weeks, and, when 

 separated milk is gradually substituted, it should be fortified 

 by 2 oz. per day of the best cod-liver oil, or a flaxseed 

 mucilage prepared by hot water. 



All calves should be taught to eat linseed cake before 

 weaning, in order to make the change as slight as possible 

 at that time ; and each may be allowed I Ib. per day all 

 summer, especially when the land is subject to anthrax or 

 black-leg. The cake keeps the animals thriving all the time, 

 and they are in consequence less liable to contract disease. 

 A seton put into the dewlap is also widely believed to be a 

 preventive, although the reason of its success is not satis- 

 factorily explained. A vaccine of attenuated virus soaked 

 into a thread, and introduced by a needle into the sub- 

 cutaneous tissue of the tail, is now largely used in this country, 

 and reported to be a successful means of prevention. 



Castration should be done when the calf is a month old ; 

 if much older, the animal ceases to thrive for a time. When 

 the operation is not performed till strong masculine character- 

 istics develop, the resulting steer (then called a "seg") is 

 reduced in market value, owing to its bull-like appearance 

 and supposed coarseness of flesh. Many cross-bred Irish 

 bulls which, owing to the neglect of their breeders, who are 

 usually small crofters, have missed castration, are best fed 

 off when they get to two years old without being castrated. 

 If they be finished at any period exclusive of the active 

 breeding season, the flesh has no objectionable flavour, and 

 sells at good though not top prices. To castrate a bull at 

 this age may imply the loss of two months' feeding, unless the 

 Indian process of kutne be introduced. By it the skin is not 



