REARING OF DAIRY CALVES. 63 



6. At the end of the second, or possibly the tlnrd, week (judgment to 

 be used in all cases), a quart of the calf -meal gruel may be added. This 

 substitute is best prepared, in the opinion of the writer, by using 85 to 

 4 ounces of meal to each quart of water. The meal is first stirred with a 

 little cold water to get out the lumps and to convert it into a paste. A 

 quart of boiling or very hot water is then added, and the mixture thor- 

 ouglily stirred and allowed to stand until milk-warm, in wliich condition 

 it is fed, preferably mixed with the millc. Neither milk nor calf-meal 

 gruels should be fed cold, but milk-warm. The quantit}^ of skim milk can 

 be reduced to 4 quarts daily, and the quantity of calf-meal gruel grad- 

 ually increased until the animal is receiving 4 to 6 quarts a day of the 

 latter, depending upon its ability to utilize it. 



7. At the end of three months the skim milk can be reduced to 3 quarts,, 

 or possibly to 2 quarts, daily if necessary. Before this time the animal 

 should be taught to eat the caK meal drj^, by placing some of it in a box 

 fastened to the wall, and at first placing a little in its mouth and rubbing 

 the meal upon its nose. Rowen or fine hay should also be placed before 

 the calf in a little rack, and it will soon learn to take it. 



8. At the end of four months the skim milk may be entirely withdrawn 

 and a few weeks later the calf-meal gruel, for by this time the animal 

 should be eating considerable dry meal and hay. Naturally, if skim milk 

 is available it is worth while to feed it until the calf is six months of age, 

 it proving very helpful in increasing growth. Feeders wisliing to secure 

 large animals frequently feed skim milk until the animal reaches eight 

 months or even twelve months of age; the}' also defer breeding until the 

 calf is one year, nine months old. 



9. After the calf is five months old, if in good condition, the calf meal 

 can be entirely removed and an ordinary grain mixture substituted, con- 

 sisting, by weight, of one-tliird ground oats, one-third wheat bran and 

 one-third corn or hominy meal; or wheat middlings may be substituted 

 in the mixture for ground oats. The roughage may consist of one-half 

 to one peck of silage and what rowen or fin§ hay the animal will clean up. 

 Emphasis is placed upon the fact that absolutely definite rules relative to 

 the time of substituting the different foods cannot be given, so much 

 depending upon the condition of the calf. The close observation and 

 good judgment of the feeder are very necessary if the full measure of 

 success is to be attained. 



10. In case of scours, or if the animal begins to show a fickle appetite, 

 the best remedy is to cut down the food supply one-half or even two- 

 thirds in amount. Do not overfeed in any case. The calf should always 

 have an appetite for more than the amount given to it. 



11. In case of our own calf-meal preparations, Nos. V. and VI. are 

 to be preferred. For the preparation of VI. see special instructions on 

 page 60. 



