a? 



The farmer should, as already indicated, attempt to rear on hia 

 own farm, and from his own best cows, the animals which he will 

 requiire to keep up or increase his herd. While he cannot be sure 

 of every heifer reared from the best producers in the herd making 

 good when coming into milk, still, knowing the dams, he may look 

 for a semblance to them in the daughters. 



Careful selection from well-bred animals is, however, not all 

 that is required to make well-developed heifers. Good feeding also 

 is necessary. It is absolute folly to expect that heifer calves will 

 develop into first-class cows if they /are stunted when young. It is 

 perfectly legitimate to get a good ration at as low a cost as possible, 

 but nothing except failure can come from trying to save money in 

 the dairy business as in any other line of live stock enterprise by 

 feeding a poor or insufficient ration, whether to old or young 

 animals. 



CARE AND FEEDING. 



The calf stage is over with the sixth or seventh month or there- 

 abouts. Upon the treatment accorded the heifer from that age till 

 dropping the first calf, will depend very largely her future value as a 

 dairy cow. Heifers from 6 months to 2 or 2 years are usually 

 supposed to be able to look after themselves. They really should 

 have considerable care and attention at this time. The prime 

 requisites are an abundant supply of suitable food and comfortable 

 quarters. Foods suitable for this purpose are bright alfalfa, or clean, 

 sweet, clover, and a small proportion of fine,soft straw; mangels, 

 turnips, sugar beets, or ensilage; and a small amount, say 1 to 1J 

 Ibs. daily, of a mixture of two or more of the following feeds : bran, 

 oil cake meal, oats, gluten meal, pea meal. Bran or oats shctuid 

 always form part of the meal ration. 



Where fall-dropped calves are raised they may safely be put on 

 pasture in June provided always that an abundance of grass is available 

 not only in early spring but throughout the summer. Shade or 

 shelter from the hot summer sun is important at any age but doubly 

 worthy of attention with heifers or young stock under one year old. 



TIME TO SERVE. 



The heifers should be bred at about 21 months old so that th 

 first calves may be dropped at two-and-a-half years. This breeding 

 age may be varied somewhat, according to the development of the 



