270 PRODUCTIVE FEEDING OF FARM ANIMALS 



accidents through sickness, like indigestion and blackleg, than in 

 feeding older cattle. 



In order to make satisfactory baby beef, calves must be of good 

 beef type, low set and blocky, from a pure-bred, early-matured 

 beef bull (Fig. 66). Such a bull will sire a high percentage of 

 excellent beef calves from good grade cows, but it is not likely 

 that calves from scrub or dairy cows can be fattened into sufficiently 

 ripe carcasses at the age required. Calves fed for baby beef must 

 be kept steadily gaining until they are ready for the market. They 

 generally receive their dam's milk until weaning time, and are fed 

 grain as soon as they learn to eat it; whole corn and oats in the 



FIG. 66. A grand champion Shorthorn bull. (Breeders 1 Gazette.) 



proportion of 3 to 1, with some pea-size linseed meal, will make a 

 very satisfactory grain mixture for calves, and with a good grade 

 of hay or pasture will produce excellent gains. After weaning, 

 they are brought on to full feed as soon as possible and are fed 

 the mixture given, with some wheat bran or similar protein feed. 

 A little cornstalks may be also fed to advantage. Baby beef calves 

 dropped in the spring are rarely ready for market until July of the 

 following year ; they are generally marketed during the last months 

 of the year, at about 18 months old, when they should weigh about 

 1100 pounds. 



Calves raised on skim milk and grain are also sometimes fed 

 for baby beef, but this requires special skill and experience because 

 of the difficulty of keeping the calves steadily gaining by this sys- 



