160 BEGINNING TO EAT. 



of fresh milk ; though, as the calf grows a little older, 

 the milk is given cold, while less care is taken to give 

 it the milk of its own mother, that of other cows now 

 answering equally well. In some places calves are fed 

 on butter-milk at the age of two weeks and after ; but 

 the change from new milk, fresh from the cow, is made 

 gradually, some sweet skim-milk and warm water being 

 at first added to it. 



At three weeks old, or thereabouts, the calf will 

 begin to eat a little sweet, fine hay, and potatoes cut 

 fine, and it very soon becomes accustomed to this food. 

 Many now begin to give linseed-meal mixed into hot 

 water, to which is added some skim-milk or butter-milk; 

 and others use a little bran cooked in hay-tea, made by 

 chopping the hay fine, and pouring on boiling hot water, 

 which is allowed to stand a while on it. An egg is fre- 

 quently broken into such a mixture. Others still at 

 this age take pains to have fresh linseed-cake, broken 

 into pieces of the size of a pigeon's-egg ; putting one 

 of these into the mouth after the meal of milk has been 

 finished, and when it is eager to suck at anything in 

 its way. It will very soon learn to eat linseed-meal. 

 A little sweet clover is put in its way at about the age 

 of three weeks, and it will soon eat that also. 



In this manner the feeding is continued from the 

 fourth to the seventh week, the quantity of solid food 

 being gradually increased. In the sixth or seventh 

 week the milk is by degrees withheld, and water or 

 butter-milk used instead ; and soon after this, green 

 food may be safely given, increasing it gradually with 

 the hay to the age of ten or twelve weeks, when it will 

 do to put them upon grass alone, if the season is favor- 

 able for it. A lot as near the house as possible, where 

 they can be easily looked after and frequently visited, 

 is best. Calves should be gradually accustomed to all 



