BRINGING UP BY HAND. 157 



them run with the cow, may and will be adopted, since 

 it is usually attended with somewhat less labor. 



The other course, which is regarded as the best where 

 the calf is to be raised for the dairy, is to bring it up 

 by hand. This is done almost universally in all coun- 

 tries where the raising of dairy cows is best understood, 

 — in Switzerland. Holland, some parts of Germany, and 

 England. It requires rather more care, on the whole ; 

 but it is decidedly preferable, since the calves cost less, 

 as the food can be easily modified, and the growth is 

 not checked, as it is apt to be when the call is finally 

 taken off from the cow. I speak, of course, of sections 

 where the milk of the cow is of some account for the 

 dairy, and where it is too valuable to be devoted entirely. 

 to nourishing the calf. In this case, as soon as the calf 

 is dropped the cow is allowed to lick off the slimy moist- 

 ure till it is dry, which she will usually do from instinct, 

 or, if not, a slight sprinkling of salt over the body of the 

 calf will immediately tempt her. The calf is left to suck 

 once or twice, which it will do as soon as it is able to 

 stand. It should, in all cases, be permitted to have the 

 first milk that comes from the cow, which is of a turbid, 

 yellowish color, unfit for any of the purposes of the 

 dairy, but somewhat purgative or medicinal, and admir- 

 ably and wisely designed by nature to free the bowels 

 and intestines of the new-born animal from the mucous, 

 excrementitious matter always existing in them after 

 birth. Too much of this new milk may, however, be 

 hurtful even to the new-born calf, while it should never 

 be given at all to older calves. The best course, it 

 seems to me, — and I speak from considerable experi- 

 ence, and much observation and inquiry of others, — is to 

 milk the cow dry immediately after the calf has sucked 

 once, especially if the udder is painfully distended, 

 which is often the case, and to leave the calf with the 

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