158 A THRIFTY START. 



cow during one day, and after that to feed it by putting 

 the fingers into its mouth, and gently bringing its 

 muzzle down to the milk in a pail or trough, when it 

 will imbibe in sucking the fingers. I have never found 

 much difficulty in teaching the calf to drink when taken 

 so young, though some take to it much more readily 

 than others. What the calf does not need should be 

 given to the cow. Some, however, prefer to milk 

 immediately after calving ; and if the udder is over- 

 loaded this may be the best course, though the better 

 practice seems to be to leave the cow as quietly to her- 

 self as possible for a few hours. The less she is dis- 

 turbed, as a general thing, the better. The after-birth 

 should be taken from her immediately after it is 

 dropped. It is customary to give the cow, as soon as 

 convenient, after calving, some warm and stimulating 

 drink, — a little meal stirred into warm water, with a 

 part of the first milk that comes from her, seasoned 

 with a little salt. 



In many cases the calf is taken from the cow imme- 

 diately, and before she has seen it, to a warm, dry pen 

 out of her sight, and there rubbed till thoroughly dry ; 

 and then, when able to stand, fed with the new milk 

 from the cow, which it should have three or four times 

 a day, regularly, for the first fortnight, whatever course 

 it is proposed to adopt afterwards. It is of the great- 

 est importance to give the young calf a thrifty start. 

 The milk, unless coming directly from the cow, should 

 be warmed. 



Some object to removing the calf from the cow in this 

 way, on the ground of its apparent cruelty. But the 

 objection to letting the calf suckle the cow for several 

 days, as they do, or indeed of leaving it with the cow 

 for any length of time, is, that she invariably becomes 

 attached to it, and frets and withholds her milk wheD 



