40 



Coarse forage — hay, silage or grass — is always supplied to the 

 extent of the calf's appetite. 



The horns are removed by the use of caustic potash during the 

 fii'st two weeks, thus securing the benefits of dehorned cows with- 

 out disfigurement or trouble. 



While calves grow faster in almost complete confinement, a 

 hardier and more rugged cow results where they have daily ex- 

 ercise in yard or pasture. The feed of skim milk is continued 

 during most of the first year if the supply does not fall short. 

 At all events, growth must be kept rapid by liberal feeding, until 

 the heifers are sent off to pasture. Here, again, it is poor economy 

 to keep stuff on short feed. A stunted growth is a great loss to 

 the breeder. During the second winter heifers receive a small 

 feed of the grain mixture given to the milking stock, consisting 

 of gluten feed, and cottonseed or other concentrate, corn meal and 

 bran. The main thing is to keep growth active. Size in a dairy 

 cow adds much to her value, either in the dairy or sale ring. 



Breeding should not take place until after the heifer is eighteen 

 months old. Some of the best cows I have seen were allowed to 

 reach two years old before being bred. It is significant that some 

 beef breeders do not receive for registry as pure-bred calves from 

 pure-bred parents where the dam is under twenty-seven months 

 old at the time of calving. Breeding too young detracts much 

 from the usefulness of heifers. The season of the year for breed- 

 ino- is purely a matter of convenience, and need not be considered 

 in this paper. The interval between successive calves is commonly 

 one year, but it is noticeable that cows do very much better after 

 a lono^er interval. This is especially true in young cows. If an 

 interval of fifteen to eighteen months is allowed between first and 

 second calves the cow makes a considerable growth that enhances 

 her value and increases her capacity for milk. 



Young cows require to be liberally fed. It must be borne in 

 mind that the two-year-old cow has not only^to yield milk but also 

 complete her growth. If concentrates are withheld at this time, 

 on the mistaken notion that they are injurious to young cows, not 

 only is her milk flow lessened, but she is hindered from reaching 

 her most useful development. It may not be desirable to crowd 

 young heifers with heavy feed, but when they milk deeply there 

 must be the material to supply the drain just as well as in mature 

 cows. 



