GENTLE TREATMENT. HAY-TEA. 165 



of the cow is greatly modified, if not, indeed, wholly 

 formed, by her treatment while young ; and therefore 

 it is best to handle calves as much as possible, and 

 make pets of them, lead them with a halter, and caress 

 them in various ways. Calves managed in this way 

 will always be docile, and suffer themselves to be 

 approached and handled both in the pasture and the 

 barn. 



With respect to the use of hay-tea, often used in this 

 country, but more common abroad, where greater care 

 and attention is usually given to the details of breeding, 

 Youatt says : " At the end of three or four days, or per- 

 haps a iveek, or even a fortnight, after a calf has been 

 dropped, and the first passages have been cleansed by 

 allowing it to drink as much of the cow's milk as it feels 

 inclined for, let the quantity usually allotted for a meal 

 be mixed, consisting, for the first week, of three parts 

 milk and one part hay-tea. The only nourishing infu- 

 sion of hay is that ivhich is made from the best and siveet- 

 est hay, cut by a chaff-cutter into pieces about two inches 

 long, and put into an earthen vessel ; over this boiling 

 water should be poured, and the whole allowed to stand 

 for two hours, during which time it ought to be kept 

 carefully closed. After the first week, the proportions 

 of milk and hay-tea may be equal ; then composed of 

 two thirds of hay-tea and one of milk; and at length one 

 fourth part of milk will be sufficient. This food should 

 be given to the calf in a lukewarm state at least three, 

 if not four times a day, in quantities averaging three 

 quarts at each meal, but gradually increasing to four 

 quarts as the calf grows older. Towards the end of the 

 second month, beside the usual quantity given at each 

 meal (composed of three parts of the infusion and one 

 of milk), a small wisp or bundle of hay is to be laid 

 before the calf, which will gradually come to eat it; but, 



