14 ON THE BREEDING, REAPJNG, 



quit 3'onr fat stock in the spring- oi- first cast, you will be 

 able to remove the oldest calves into the feeding- sheds, where 

 thev will have more room, and be better prepared for turn- 

 ing"^into pasture at the proper time. As it will be necessary 

 to purchase calves to make up your cast of stock, I have 

 g-enerally made a bargain with some of my neighbours or 

 cottagers, who dispose of their calves, to send cows that I 

 approve of to my bull, and taking the calf, if I like it, at a 

 fixed price, two da3^s after it is dropped, which I have found 

 a ready way of making- up my number of calves. I should 

 strongly recommend to all breeders not to attempt to rear 

 more calves than is required for a regular yearly cast of 

 stock ; it is more profitable to do a given number well, than 

 a great number badly, to say nothing of the great liability 

 to disease of the poor half-starved animal. 



Thirdl}", Your next lot of cows should begin to drop their 

 calves about the end of February, none later than May-day 

 (and those last always your first calf heifers). Calves 

 dropped about this time require more milk and more atten- 

 tion to get them through winter than the older calves, and 

 are mucli more siibject to local complaints; as also, from 

 their size, they spoil the uniformity of your cast of stock. 

 Your summer calves should have new milk at least four 

 weeks, if not six ; and the milk should be given three times 

 in the day, as it is better and more natural to give six quarts 

 at three [times than twice ; the calves thrive better and keep 

 their forms better, and are not so liable to get what is 

 termed " pot-bellied." When it is not convenient to have 

 milk from the cows in the middle of the day, I should 

 recommend the morning's milk to be given, with a little 

 warm water added, to give it the proper heat, for the calves 

 under six weeks old ; the older ones will do with a little old 

 milk at mid-day. The writer has foimd it a very good plan, 

 when milk was scarce, to boil linseed for the older calves, and 

 give this in their new milk when it is found necessary to 

 increase their quantity ; by this plan you have a greater 

 quantity of new milk at your disposal for the younger 

 calves. After my calves get past their sixth week, their 

 new milk is gradually decreased, and the qiiantity made up 

 of old milk, until the new is taken off" them entirely, and 

 their food is then linseed and old milk till they are twelve 

 weeks old ; they are then gradually weaned with a drink of 

 milk and water, and a pound of cake allowed twice a day (if 

 thought necessary), with a good, well-sheltered pasture and 



