116 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 253 



nine quarts daily. Two quarts of whole milk are fed daily until four weeks of 

 age, and one quart daily until six weeks of age, at which time the process of 

 weaning from whole milk is completed. Except in some very recent experi- 

 ments, liquid feeding has been continued until four months of age. 



The calves are taught to eat good quality rowen and a dry grain mixture as 

 early as possible. With the rowen this is done by keeping a small handful in a 

 manger before them all the time, at first removing each day what they do not 

 clean up, so that it will not become stale. It is surprising how early they will 

 nibble at it and relish it if care is used not to give them too much. The grain is 

 rubbed on their noses or placed in the bottom of the pail when they finish drink- 

 ing, and as soon as they acquire a taste for it a little is kept before them con- 

 stantly. The mixture which has been fed in connection with this work is com- 

 posed of: 



Ground oats 30 lbs. 



Red dog flour 30 " 



Corn meal 25 " 



Linseed meal 15 " 



Total 100 lbs. 



Half a pound of salt is added to each 100 pounds of the grain. This mixture 

 contains approximately 17 per cent of protein, 5 per cent of fat and not more 

 than 6 per cent of fiber. 



The object in all of the trials was to encourage the calves to eat as much rowen 

 as possible and of the grain mixture up to 3 pounds daily. Naturally when a 

 full liquid diet was continued until 4 months of age the consumption was less 

 than when li(iuid was supplied in a restricted amount. 



The experimental feeding period is continued to the end of the fourth month, 

 at which time the calves are gradually weaned entirely from pail feeding, a 

 process which takes some two weeks or more. Some feeders prefer to continue 

 feeding licjuids until the calf is six months old. If an extra fine calf is wanted 

 this longer period may be justified, but it adds considerably to the cost of raising. 



The calves are fed three times a day at regular feeding hours, and the liquid 

 is always fed warm, at about body temperature. The amount of skim milk 

 powder or buttermilk powder used in making the liquid is 33^ ounces to one 

 quart of water or, to express it in another way, one pound to 43^ quarts of water. 

 This proportion results in a liquid with approximately the same content of dis- 

 solved or suspended solids as the original skim milk. A richer liquid than this 

 is apt to cause digestive trouble, while if it is made too dilute the calves will 

 not make satisfactory growth. 



The above statements can serve only as a general guide. Calves vary so in 

 their appetites and in their ability to stand changes in feed that the feeder's 

 own good judgment must be exercised at all times. In this work the progress 

 of the calves has been followed by weighing them each week and adjusting their 

 ration accordingly. 



Detailed Data of Experiments 



Group 1. Liquid Skim Milk plus Grain and Rowen 

 Five calves were fed on skim milk in order to have a standard with which to 

 compare the other materials. The average amount of skim milk fed to each 

 calf in this group for the four-month period was 1091 quarts. They made a 

 daily gain of 1.75 pounds, and consumed 236 pounds of dry matter for every 

 100 pounds of gain. They were very thrifty looking calves at the finish. Where 

 skim milk can be obtained for not more than two cents per quart, calf rearing. 



