458 LIVE-STOCK/ 



cessary to the new-born animal. After calving give the cow a 

 warm bran mash made with scalding water, and afterward her or- 

 dinary feed, increasing the amount of roots and grain to promote 

 the flow of milk and prevent the exhaustion of the animal. 



Cows which are giving milk must have an increase of feed. 



Mangolds or sugar beets are best. Cut them in shoes and sprinkle 

 them with bran, and feed half a bushel more or less at a time, after 

 the cows have filled themselves with hay or corn, fodder or grass. 

 Soft turnips may be fed to some cows at milking-time and not 

 flavor the milk. Keep up the flow of milk if possible, especially 

 with young cows, by feeding meal, bran and roots. 



Cattle. — Cows that have not yet calved should be allowed to 

 stand several hours daily in large sunny yards. If the calves be 

 removed from milch cows as soon as dropped, the cow is less wor- 

 ried than if they are taken away after she has become attached to 

 them. New milch cows ought to have roots or some green succu- 

 lent feed: in winter and early spring what is called "slops" sup- 

 phes the place of more natural and better things. April is one of 

 the worst months for caked bag, garget, milk fever, etc. ; watch for 

 the first symptoms, and check the disease if possible. 



— See that all cattle have access to pure water. Where they 

 drink at a pond, large poles or sticks of timber should keep them 

 from going into the water to stand, as they usually dung immedi- 

 ately after drinking. Do not feed too many animals on the same 

 ground. One good cow, well fed, will yield more milk than two 

 cows on short pasture. 



Calves dropped in February will bring large prices in March. 

 If to be raised, wean early, and feed well with skimmed milk, clover 

 tea and gruel. 



— Give calves a comfortable yard or pen, whether raised by hand 

 or the cow. Confined in close quarters, the floor beneath should 

 be cleaned often and littered abundantly. It is as cruel as unprof- 

 itable to keep them tied in cold, filthy places. Two calves may 

 often be profitably raised on one cow. Always scald or cook meal 

 for young calves before mingling it with any kind of milk or feed, 

 as raw meal is very liable to produce scours. Wheat flour boiled 

 in milk checks scours. 



— Keep the yards or pens dry and clean, and mow a little grass 

 for them daily. Where calves are allowed to suck, put a little 

 wheat flour in one end of a small trough and salt in the other end, 

 where calves can reach it. They soon eat meal. 



— See that they have a good supply of clean, fresh water during 

 the hot weather. Let them have access also to a tub containing salt. 



