THE INFLUENCE OF EARLY FEEDING 261 



down the side of the face. This will burn off the hair and 

 cause sores. When the scab over the horn falls off a second 

 application will usually be found sufficient to entirely prevent 

 the growth of the horn. Dehorning with caustic should be done 

 when the calf is but two to three days old. 



Age to Separate Calves. — -Well fed Jersey and Guernsey 

 calves have been known to breed at 90 to 100 days of age. Hol- 

 steins and Ayrshires reach this stage of development at from 

 100 to 120 days. Bull calves reach a similar stage of develop- 

 ment at four to five months of age. The dairyman of foresight 

 then will separate the sexes before harm occurs. 



Condition of Dairy Calves. — While the consumption of 

 milk containing a liberal quantity of fat will cause the calves 

 to become fat enough for good veal at six to eight weeks of age, 

 it is difficult indeed to fatten calves on skim milk and grain. 

 More liberal feeding up to the limit of their ability to consume, 

 results more in a rapid growth than in fattening. Further- 

 more, for dairy purposes there is no need that the calves be 

 fattened, and there is danger associated with the condition. 

 Calves fed too much grain, especially corn, are in danger of form- 

 ing the fattening habit, which may detract from their value as 

 dairy cows later, and if continued until the breeding age, the fat 

 condition is very liable indeed to cause sterility, or inability to 

 breed. The consumption of more hay and less grain in the 

 growing heifer tends to produce an efficient dairy worker in 

 after-life, as well as working towards economy in the raising of 

 the animal. Grain should be fed in amount sufficient only to 

 keep the animal in fair flesh and growing continually. 



The influence of early feeding on the size of the mature cow 

 has long been suspected. Best experimental evidence has been 

 furnished by the University of Missouri in which it is clearly 

 shown that if a cow is to attain her greatest stature she should 

 be liberally fed while young (Fig. 84). In fact those cows 

 that receive very liberal rations during their early growing 

 period not only reach their growth at an earlier age but attain 

 to a greater size than those which have been more scantily fed 

 during the first two and a half years of their lives. Whether 



