FEEDING CALVES 41 



In 1921-22 eight calves were reared on the foregoing ration, all of 

 which exceeded an average daily gain of one and one-half pounds 

 from birth to six months of age. In this group were six Holstein 

 heifer calves. They had an average weight of 400 pounds at six 

 months of age. The average food consumption for the six months' 

 period was: 450 pounds whole milk, 300 pounds calf meal, 350 

 pounds other grain, and about 350 pounds hay. These results 

 show clearly that it is possible to grow calves satisfactorily on a 

 calf meal for they represent better growth than the average for 

 skim milk calves as reported on page 35. These results must not 

 be taken to mean that the use of this formula is preferable to 

 skim milk. Where the latter is available, it constitutes the more 

 economical and satisfactory method. 



70. Difficulty with home mixing. — The trouble with the 

 above formula for home mixing is that some of the ingredients 

 would have to be specially ordered and this would mean consid- 

 erable trouble and expense for the farmer with only a few calves 

 to feed. It is also difficult to obtain the ingredients as finely 

 ground as desired. When these difficulties were appreciated it 

 seemed to us that instead of attempting home mixing it might be 

 preferable for a group of farmers to have the formula mixed by a 

 local miller. 



The Grange League Federation Exchange of Ithaca, New 

 York, is now marketing a calf meal under an open formula which 

 is substantially the same as the one previously given. The formula 

 is given in paragraph 123. 



71. A simpler formula for home mixing. — Where a simpler 

 formula for home mixing is desired we can recommend the follow- 

 ing as a fairly satisfactory one on the basis of our experience : 



250 lbs. red dog flour or flour wheat middlings 

 250 lbs. corn meal . 

 250 lbs. ground barley 

 150 lbs. oil meal 

 100 lbs. blood flour 



20 lbs. steamed bone meal 



10 lbs. salt 



