GENERAL OARE OF CATTLE. 821 



plete ration"; that is to say, it does not contain 

 in proper proportion all those elements which 

 are necessary for the growth and maintenance 

 of a healthy animal. When skim-milk is fed, 

 therefore, something must be added to it to 

 complete its food elements. The most approved 

 addition to it for very young calves is a little 

 oil-meal. This adds the " carbo-hydrates " and 

 other muscle-forming ingredients which are 

 highly necessary, especially to the young ani- 

 mal; the oil which it contains acts as a laxa- 

 tive, also, and overcomes in a safe manner the 

 tendency of skim-milk to induce constipation. 

 Wherever it is used it is further highly desir- 

 able to press on the work of teaching the calves 

 to eat freely. 



Prof. Elliott W. Stewart in his valuable work 

 on "Feeding Animals" says: "Fresh milk is the 

 best food for the young calf, and the natural 

 method of taking it is for the calf to draw it 

 from the udder of its dam." But he goes on 

 to say that where this is found impracticable 

 skim-milk may be used, and "the ration may 

 be made about as nutritious as the new milk 

 by adding to it flaxseed gruel, made by boiling 

 a pint of flaxseed and a pint of oil-meal in ten 

 to twelve quarts of water, or flaxseed alone in 

 six times its bulk of water. Mix this one to 

 three parts with skim-milk; feed blood warm." 

 No doubt good results have been and are con- 



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