130 My Little Farm 



had a moment's trouble with any calf suckled, for 

 which reason I think it is well worth while to 

 suckle all calves until the fourth day, even at the 

 risk of some disturbance to the dam on separation. 

 These four days make a big difference in favour of 

 the calf for weeks to come, and possibly for his 

 whole life. If you cannot let him suck, keep him 

 as near as you can to the conditions, by feeding 

 him often, in small quantities, and at the normal 

 temperature of his own body. Given that, he will 

 seldom need medical assistance, and then only a 

 mild aperient, such as castor oil one to two 

 teaspoonfulls in the warm milk according to the 

 case and the age of the calf. The neglect of these 

 simple precautions may lead to the milk " curd- 

 ing " in the stomach, which is always injurious and 

 often deadly. Against this, nothing better has 

 been found than a pinch of common bread soda in 

 each meal, about as much as can fit on a sixpenny 

 piece ; but after a bad case of " curding," I 

 question whether it is not more profitable to see 

 the patient dead than alive. From careful experi- 

 ence, I can say with general certainty that I have 

 least to expect in profit from the calf that costs me 

 most in expenditure. Indeed, the difference in 

 favour of the one that costs me least is very large, 

 and those from which I have most to expect in the 

 present season have cost me practically nothing 

 beyond home products. 



Attention through the first stage will save time 

 and money at the second and afterwards, but 

 Otherwise, the trouble increases its complexity, 



