114 



DAIRY FARMING 



milk for the first few days, later mixed milk is as good. 

 Care must be taken not to overfeed at any time. For the 

 first two weeks ten to twelve pounds per day is all that the 

 largest calf will require. A small one needs even less. It may 

 be fed in two feeds, but three feeds are better for the first 

 two or three weeks. Each animal should be fed by itself 



so that it is cer- 

 tain to get the 

 proper amount 

 of milk. As the 

 calf gets older 

 the amount of 

 milk may be in- 

 creas'e'd some- 

 what, but it is 

 not necessary to 

 feed over 16 

 pounds a day at 

 any time. A 

 large calf can 



take up to 20 pounds without injury. The milk must 

 always be fed fresh and sweet. Milk that has been standing 

 some time, even if it does not taste sour, is not in the best 

 condition for feeding. The milk should have a temperature 

 of 90 F. or higher while the calf is young, but later it 

 becomes less sensitive to a slight change in temperature. 

 After about two weeks the feeder may begin to replace 

 the whole milk with skim-milk. This should be done 

 gradually, about a week being given to the change. The 

 amount fed should not be greater because skim-milk is 

 given in place of whole milk. 



By the time the calf is a month old it will begin to eat 



FIG. 32. A Holstein heifer calf six months old, 

 raised on whole milk. Total milk consumed 2960 

 pounds. 



