THE DAIRY COW 153 



the ration, care should be exercised that the calf be not stinted 

 on protein. It cannot grow so fast as it should without a 

 sufficient amount of protein. The protein roughages, such as 

 clover, alfalfa, or peas, either green or in the form of hay should 

 be used. These should be supplemented with a variety of 

 grains, such as oats, corn, ground wheat or wheat bran and a 

 little ground flax, oil meal, or cotton-seed meal. If the pro- 

 tein roughages above mentioned are not available, and 

 timothy, bluegrass, millet, corn stover or silage are to be fed, 

 more protein should be fed in the concentrate form. This is 

 done by increasing the flax, oil meal, or cotton-seed meal. 



Great care should be taken to give calves plenty of exercise, 

 water, salt, and other minerals if the calves want it. The 

 calf becomes valuable as a cow, only as it is properly bred 

 and second as it is properly fed and developed. 



The Veal Calf. — Sometimes the veal calf makes an impor- 

 tant adjunct to the dairy business. Good veal calves are ob- 

 tained from the large or fleshy breeds, or are obtained by using 

 a beef bull. The feeding then should be such that the calves 

 can both grow and fatten. The best veal, undoubtedly, is 

 made by allowing the calf to suck a good cow but this is rather 

 expensive. If the calf cannot be allowed to suck on account 

 of the expense, it should be fed as outlined in the foregoing 

 but be extra well fed with skim milk, grain and hay. 



In a herd of cows, the first milk from the cows, before the 

 milk is good for dairy purposes, may be used for the veal 

 calves, along with some skim milk. Sometimes after a calf 

 has been fed on skim milk it is again fed whole milk for a time 

 before it is sold. This puts on the finishing touches and makes 

 the calf sell for a better price. Calves are sold for veal at 

 anywhere from six to twelve weeks of age. 



BREEDS OF DAIRY CATTLE 



There are several breeds of dairy cattle but to try to say 

 which one is best would be hke telling a man which woman he 

 ought to take for a wife. All the breeds of cows have their 

 advantages and their disadvantages. The principal breeds 

 are as follows: Holstein Friesian; Jersey; Guernsey; Milking 

 Shorthorn, and Ayrshire. 



