288 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



The age at which heifers should drop their first calf depends on 

 the breed and the size and development of the individual. Jerseys 

 and Guernseys which have been well-fed are usually bred to calve at 

 24 to 30 months of age, while the slower maturing Holsteius, Ayr- 

 shires, or Brown Swiss should not calve until 30 to 36 months old. 



The cost of raising heifers will varj' in different regions, depending 

 on the prices of feed, labor, etc. In trials in Connecticut "^ and Wis- 

 consin ^ the total cost of raising grade heifers to 2 years of age, includ- 

 ing cost of calf, feed, labor, and barn rent, insurance, and taxes, but 

 allowing credit for the value of the manure produced, was from $61 to 

 over $66 per head. Some of these items are often not taken into con- 

 sideration by the dairyman in estimating how much it costs to raise 

 heifers. These trials show that while it certainly pays to raise well- 

 bred heifer calves, it is far from profitable to raise those from inferior 

 dams and sires. 



The bull. — The same principles apply in raising bull calves as to 

 heifers, except that after 6 months of age they should be fed some- 

 what more grain. The bull should be sufficiently mature for very light 

 service at 10 to 12 months of age. He should be halter broken as a 

 calf and when about 1 year old should have a stout ring inserted in 

 his nose. He should be so handled from calfhood that he will recog- 

 nize man as his master and should never be given an opportunity to 

 learn his great strength. Stall and fences should always be so 

 strongly built that there is no possibility of his learning how to break 

 loose. 



Feed and care of the bull. — The ration for the bull in full service 

 should be about the same as for a dairy cow in milk. He should be 

 given good legume hay or hay from mixed legumes and grasses and 

 fed from 4 to 8 lbs. of concentrates, supplying an ample amount of 

 protein. When idle or but in partial service less concentrates will lie 

 required. The bull may be fed 10 to 15 lbs. of good com silage each 

 day ^ but more is said to injure his breeding powers. The bull should 

 be tied by a strong halter to one end of the manger and by his ring 

 to the other end, so that the attendant may approach him from either 

 side without danger. The bull should be dehorned and should always 

 be handled with a strong, safe staff. Even with a quiet, peaceable bull 

 safety lies only in handling him without displaying fear and yet as 

 if he were watching for an opportunity to gore his attendant. Nearly 

 all the accidents occur with "quiet" bulls that have been too much 

 trusted. 



eTrueman, Conn. (Storrs) Bui. 63. 



7 Bennett and Cooper, U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 49. 



s Hoard's Dairyman, 46, 1914, p. 339. 



