434 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



II. RAISING CALVES ON SKIM-MILK SUBSTITUTES 



Increasing numbers of dairymen thruout the country are selling whole 

 milk for city consumption, for cheese making, or for the manufacture 

 of condensed and evaporated milk. Because it is too expensive to rear 

 the calves on whole milk alone, many of these men sell the heifer calves 

 from even their best cows for veal and depend upon buying cows to 

 replenish their herds. Since this practice prevents any herd improve- 

 ment, the successful raising of calves on skim-milk substitutes is a 

 question of prime importance. 



695. Buttermilk and whey. Where available, fresh buttermilk is per- 

 haps the best substitute for skim milk, but the watery slop sometimes 

 obtained from creameries, often from filthy tanks, should be avoided, as 

 such material is almost sure to cause scours. At the Kansas Station 30 

 Otis found that buttermilk gave slightly less returns with calves than 

 skim milk but caused less trouble from scours. (267) 



Tho whey-fed calves will not usually make quite as rapid gains as those 

 fed skim milk, whey can be successfully used for calf feeding, if it is 

 obtained fresh from the cheese vat and is fed at blood temperature. It 

 must be borne in mind that most of the protein has been removed in 

 cheesemaking, and therefore whey is not a protein-rich feed like skim 

 milk. Hence, it should be supplemented by a concentrate mixture supply- 

 ing plenty of protein. To avoid the introduction of tuberculosis and 

 other diseases, whey should always be pasteurized before being returned 

 to the farm. Whey which is allowed to ferment and putrefy in dirty 

 whey tanks can not be successf ully used for calf feeding, but whey soured 

 under sanitary conditions may be fed, if sour whey is fed each day. 

 Changing from sweet whey one day to sour whey the next may cause 

 scours. 



As an example of the results which may be secured with whey, a trial 

 at the Wisconsin Station 31 by Morrison, Humphrey, and Hulce may be 

 mentioned. At 3 weeks of age, 8 calves were gradually changed from 

 whole milk to separated whey, 10 days being taken for the change. In 

 addition the calves were fed a protein-rich concentrate mixture, consist- 

 ing of 30 parts ground corn, 30 parts standard middlings, and 40 parts 

 of linseed meal, with legume hay for roughage. The allowance of whey 

 was gradually increased to 14 Ibs. per head daily at 6 weeks of age. These 

 calves gained on the average 1.48 Ibs. per head daily during the trial, 

 which lasted 6 months, and were vigorous and thrifty. Calves fed a 

 liberal allowance of skim milk made slightly larger gains, 1.68 Ibs. per 

 head daily. Satisfactory results have also been secured with whey in 

 other trials 32 when properly fed. (268) 



696. Raising calves on a minimum amount of skim milk. Calves raised 

 on skim milk do best when skim milk feeding is continued until they are 



s Kan. Bui. 126. 31 Wis. Bui. 339, pp. 133-4. 



82 Paterson, West of Scotland Agr. College, Rpt. 15, 1918; Otis, Kan. Bui. 126. 



