CALF RAISING 193 



were given their mothers' milk for from five to seven days, 

 then the milk substitute gradually replaced the milk, until 

 at the end of from ten days to two weeks no milk was given. 

 For the first five or six weeks the calves were given about two 

 pounds of the mixture per day; after that time two pounds 

 and a half until weaning time. At the age of about 100 

 days the feeding of the substitutes was stopped, and these 

 calves were put on a grain and hay ration. The thirteen 

 calves raised on this ration consumed an average of 121 

 pounds of milk and 186 pounds of meal in 83 days, and the 

 results, while not equal to those when milk was used, were 

 satisfactory, and good dairy heifers were raised in this way at 

 a low feed expense. 



The ration used in this experiment was tried by the 

 Massachusetts Experiment Station l in comparison with a 

 commercial calf meal. Those fed the former gained 1.25 

 pounds per day up to six months of age, while those fed on 

 the calf meal gained 1.15 pounds per day. 



Whey as a Feed for Calves. Where milk is used for 

 cheese making, it is usual for the whey to belong to the milk 

 producer, and it is used to a small extent as a calf feed. As 

 a rule, the whey is fermented to such an extent before it 

 reaches the farm that its use as a calf feed is out of the 

 question. Where the cheese is made on the farm, or the 

 whey is sterilized at the factory, it may be possible to secure 

 it in a sweet, unfermented condition. Under the best con- 

 ditions, it does not give results as a calf food that warrant 

 it being recommended for this purpose. The average com- 

 position of whey, as compared with skim milk, is shown 

 below : 



1 Report Massachusetts Experiment Station, 1903. 

 o 



