CHAPTER XXV 



RAISING DAIRY CATTLE 



I. THE SKIM-MILK CALF 



The profitableness of dairying depends to a large degree upon carefully 

 rearing the heifer calves from the best cows in the herd and sired by a 

 pure-bred bull of quality. Improvement of the herd can best be made 

 by replacing the discards with well-bred, home-reared heifers of greater 

 productive capacity. Starting with common cows, one may by this means 

 in a few years build up a high-producing herd. On the other hand, the 

 dairyman who replenishes his herd by purchase must pay high prices for 

 animals which, tho of good appearance, may not be well-bred. Careful 

 dairymen are loath to part with their best heifers, preferring to keep 

 them to improve their own herds. Another important reason for rearing 

 the heifers is that under this system it is far easier to keep the herd free 

 from such diseases as tuberculosis and contagious abortion. 



Tho the value of the calf at birth depends primarily on its breeding, 

 the feed and care it receives while young are fully as important factors 

 in deciding its future usefulness in the herd. The general principles of 

 calf -rearing, which are presented in this chapter, are well founded upon 

 scientific trials and practical experience, but the raising of calves will 

 ever remain an art, in which much depends on the skill and judgment of 

 the feeder, who should study the individual requirements of the animals, 

 rather than blindly follow hard and fast rules. 



678. Nutrients required by calves. Before discussing the various 

 rations suitable for feeding calves, we should have clearly in mind their 

 nutrient requirements. It has already been pointed out in Chapter V 

 that young growing animals require rations which furnish ample protein 

 and plenty of mineral matter, especially calcium and phosphorus, for the 

 rapid development of their protein tissues and their skeletons. (113-119) 

 Furthermore, the protein must be of the right kind, or quality (118), and 

 their rations must supply plenty of both the fat-soluble vitamine and the 

 water-soluble vitamine for normal growth. (104, 120) 



All these requirements are admirably met in the milk of their dams, 

 but the fat of milk is so valuable that but few dairy calves are now reared 

 on whole milk when skim milk is available. Fortunately, scientific trials 

 and practical experience alike show that with proper feeding, calves 

 changed to skim milk when but a few weeks old usually develop into just 

 as good cows as those fed whole milk until weaning time. 



Skim milk and whey are relatively low in fat-soluble vitamine, because 

 much of it is removed in the butterf at. The question therefore naturally 



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