236 COW AND CALF WEANING AND REARING. 



and after keeping him in comfort a day or two, as 

 the next and greatest benefit I could confer upon 

 him, I expedited him to his best home, the feline 

 Elysium, in such way that he had no previous dread 

 of the stroke which instantaneously destroyed all 

 sensibility of pain. I have now before me his por- 

 trait, a most correct likeness, by the celebrated 

 James Ward, and now sitting by my side one of his 

 great, great grand-daughters. 



The CALF may be sold as soon as it has drawn off 

 the beastings, or first milk, unless any coring or 

 defect in the cow's udder or teats may render it de- 

 sirable for the calf to suck a few days, in order that 

 the action may clear off any obstructions, for which 

 the butting of the calf's head is generally the best 

 remedy. If intended to be FATTENED for the butcher, 

 it must be kept in a pen, particularly dry and clean, 

 suckled twice a day at regular hours, always have 

 the first, which is the thinnest of the milk, and not 

 be permitted to overcharge its stomach. Lumps of 

 soft chalk are usually placed for the calf to lick, as 

 an absorbent to neutralize those acidities engen- 

 dered in the stomach from feeding on milk. It sel- 

 dom pays to fatten a calf beyond ten or twelve 

 weeks. 



WEANING AND REARING CALVES. A calf may be 

 weaned by being gradually accustomed to suck milk 

 in a pail through the fingers. Many are reared upon 

 very little milk mixed with hay-tea, linseed, or other 

 slops ; fed on straw in the winter, and in summer 

 upon the common. Such cannot be expected to 

 turn to much account. The best cattle are reared 



