BREEDING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT. 21 



with the porridge or skim milk, is excellent food for calves 

 when a month or six weeks old. What we here call porridge, 

 should be called more properly gruel, and should not be made 

 too thick. When ten weeks old, the calf should be weaned ; 

 this should be done by degrees, the daily allowance being 

 decreased, so as to accustom it to the change. By this age 

 the calf can eat a considerable quantity of hay, chaff, pulp, and 

 corn, and should receive at least half-a-pound of cake and corn. 

 Various preparations of finely prepared meals are sold for calf 

 spice, such as Simpson's, Bibby's, <fec. We believe, from our own 

 experience, that such foods are very useful, and may be con- 

 sidered not only healthy but well suited to the digestive powers 

 of the young animals. In another place we shall have more to 

 say on this subject. 



The treatment of the calf during its first year is most 

 important. As the spring comes on and the sun gets power, 

 the calves, in small lots, should be allowed the range of a 

 comfortable yard and shed, taking particular care that they are 

 warmly housed at night. If we can depend upon our arable 

 land for a succession of green food, then the calves will do 

 best if kept in yards all the summer, and, indeed, not suffered 

 to go out into the pastures until turned one year old. This 

 is often impracticable, but it is much to be recommended in 

 all cases where it is possible. The advantages of this plan are, 

 that we have the animals more under control, the least malady 

 is at once detected, the supply of food can be regulated with 

 greater exactness, and the manure economised. Considerable 

 variety of food is necessary. Thus, we must have vetches, 

 trifolium, cabbages, and artificial grasses, coming on in regular 

 succession. Chaff, meal, and cake correct the laxative tendency 

 of our green crops. All who are acquainted with rearing know 

 how frequently calves will scour when in the pastures, and how 

 difficult it is to cure this. In many instances we believe the 

 disorder is occasioned by poisonous acrid weeds growing in the 

 grass. Again, as the hot weather comes on, the animals are 

 driven wild by the flies, and while thus irritated cannot make 

 any progress. The yard system rc^" -^es us of these difficulties. 

 The green food may be supplied partly long, in racks, and 

 partly cut up and mixed with hay-chaff, a slight fermentation 



