200 DAIRY CATTLE AND MILK PRODUCTION 



Feeding for Veal. The calf designed for veal should be 

 given all it will take of fresh whole milk if a first-class 

 animal is to be produced. The calf is generally taught to 

 drink from a pail, if it is to be kept very long. From eight to 

 twelve pounds of milk at a feed twice a day is usually suffi- 

 cient. To produce the finest quality of veal, the calf should 

 not be allowed any feed other than whole milk. The veal is 

 at its best at the age of two months. One put on the mar- 

 ket under the legal limit is known as a "bob" veal, while one 

 too old for good quality of veal is called a " heretic." The 

 regulation of the United States government requires ani- 

 mals sold for veal to be not less than three weeks old. Many 

 cities, and some states also, have regulations regarding the 

 age or weight of calves that may be slaughtered. The age 

 specified varies from three to six weeks. Where such regu- 

 lations are not enforced, the tendency is to market the calves 

 much younger than this, since where milk is high-priced, the 

 younger the calf is sold the greater the profit. 



Whether the calf can be raised for veal profitably or not 

 depends largely upon the value of milk. It is often found 

 that it costs more to feed calves, especially of the smaller 

 breeds, than is received when the calf is sold, and for this 

 reason many do not attempt to do so, but destroy all calves 

 not needed for breeders at birth. Where a number of cows 

 freshen at intervals, some of the calves are often raised that 

 otherwise would not be by feeding the milk of the fresh 

 cows up to the time it is fit for market. 



The following data indicate what may be expected along 

 this line : Hay ward l fed six calves, weighing from 59 to 85 

 pounds at the beginning for 30 days. Average daily gain 



1 Annual Report, Pennsylvania Experiment Station, 1899. 



