MILK SUBSTITUTES IN THE REARING 



OF YOUNG CALVES. 



by 



J. B. LiNDSEY AND J. G. ARCHIBALD. 



Introduction. 



The problem of rearing calves for the first four to six months of their lives 

 without the liberal use of whole or skim milk has been studied by many agri- 

 cultural investigators. Where plenty of whole and skim milk are available 

 it is a relatively simple matter, provided one understands the technique of calf 

 rearing, which includes cleanliness in care and feeding and close observation 

 to prevent overfeeding. Much depends on the calf itself; some are thrifty 

 and require but little attention, while others are delicate and finicky, and re- 

 quire constant attention and considerable skill to bring them through their 

 babyhood. 



In the three southern New England states most of the product of the dairy 

 herd is sold as whole milk, hence very little of either whole or skim milk is 

 available for feeding purposes. In northern New England, where creameries 

 are still in operation and skim milk and pasture are available, large numbers 

 of dairy cows should be raised to supply the needs of the dairymen farther 

 south. Even were this jDractice followed to a greater extent than it is at 

 present, dairymen could still be found throughout southern New England de- 

 sirous of raising more or less of their own stock. They have been and are 

 still confronted with the difficulty of finding a suitable substitute for the rel- 

 atively expensive milk. 



It is not the intention in this publication to review in detail the work of 

 the many investigators who have studied the problem, but rather to state 

 briefly the different types of substitutes that have been fed and the results 

 secured, and in addition to give a brief summary of our own more recent study 

 of the subject. 



In most of the older investigations reported, skim milk was used extensively, 

 supplemented with numerous substances such as cod liver oil, coconut oil, 

 flaxseed jelly, starch, rolled oats, etc. Some form of oats, either crushed, rolled, 

 whole, or oat meal, seems to have been the most universal supplement and to 

 have given the best results. The problem, however, with skim milk unavailable 

 is to find some substitute that will take its place and produce thrifty calves. 



The substitutes used in more recent studies can be grouped under four gen- 

 eral heads : 



1. Calf meals compounded from cereal grains, oil seeds and oil cakes, and 

 leguminous seeds. 



2. Meals similar to those in (1) supplemented with such animal proteins 

 as blood flour and skim-milk powder. 



3. Manufactured milk by-products, such as skixQ-milk powder, malted mUk 

 residue, semi-solid buttermilk and buttermilk powder. 



4. Infusions of clover hay, of flaxseed, and of such meals as bean meal and 

 linseed oil meal. 



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