SKIM MILK AND MILK SUBSTITUTES FOR 

 CALF FEEDING 



O. F. HUNZIKER R. E. CAIvDWKl.lv 



PURPOSE 



The purpose of the experiment recorded in this bulletin is to 

 furnish the dairyman with practical and reliable information as to 

 the proper preparation and use of rations for calf feeding when 

 the market value of whole milk and its products is too great to per- 

 mit of its economical use for this purpose. 



MAINTENANCE OF THE HERD BY PURCHASING COWS NOT 

 CONDUCIVE TO ECONOMICAL HERD IMPROVEMENT 



The maintaining of a dairy herd is one of the difficult problems 

 that constantly confronts every milk producer. In a great many in- 

 stances, the herds are maintained by buying cows on the general 

 market or from breeders who are less fortunately situated in regard 

 to the disposal of their product as whole milk, and who, for this 

 reason, use the skim milk available for the growing of heifers. 

 Aside from the breeder of pure-bred cattle, it is only occasionally 

 that a dairyman is sufficiently interested in his herd to rear his own 

 cows. Under existing conditions, there is a constant demand for 

 dairy cows of profitable production or of improved breeding and 

 the value of such animals is often much higher than the actual cost 

 of producing them. 



The cows sold on the open market are usually produced by 

 dairymen who have skim milk available for the growing of calves. 

 Many dairymen who dispose of their product as whole milk would 

 gladly increase the size of their herd or improve its quality if it 

 were possible for them to do so economically. The prices which 

 are being paid for grade cows are sufficient proof of the extent of 

 the demand. The practice of buying cows into the herd, under 

 average conditions, is not conducive to increased production. The 

 cows which are offered for sale are often very inferior animals. 

 They are available because the owners appreciate the value of 

 records and dispose of their cows as soon as they fail to yield a 

 profit, or they are handled by professional cow buyers who sell their 

 animals as soon as they decline in production. This practice pre- 

 vails, although many of their cows may be fair individuals from 

 the standpoint of dairy conformation. 



