FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 117 



the best heifer calves is too common. This policy stands 

 in ihe way of improvement of the herd. The Illinois Ex- 

 periment Station found the average profit per cow to be 

 $20.53 more each year in those herds in which a pure-bred 

 bull was kept and calves raised. 



111. The Use of Milk Substitutes. Several calf meals 

 advertised. as milk substitutes are on the market. These are" 

 sold under a trade name and the composition is not given. 

 In general they are a mixture of linseed meal, oatmeal, 

 wheat middlings, and corn meal. In some cases bean meal, 

 ground flaxseed, or skim-milk powder is included. The 

 Cornell University Experiment Station 1 obtained good 

 results by the use of a commercial calf meal composed of 

 oatmeal, wheat meal, flaxseed, and dried skim-milk. The 

 calves received in addition a grain mixture consisting of 

 corn, oats, and wheat bran, three parts each. The calves 

 were fed whole milk alone for the first week after which the 

 calf meal was gradually introduced. The feeding of milk 

 was gradually reduced until at the end of about one month 

 the calves were receiving only the calf meal, grain mixture, 

 and hay. Most of the calves were able to grow fairly well 

 on this ration, and they developed into good cows. The 

 average quantities of feed used up to five months of age 

 were : 



Whole milk 226 pounds 



Calf meal 220 pounds 



Grain 109 pounds 



Hay 329 pounds 



Average gain per day 1.1 pounds 



Total cost of feed $14.69 



1 Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletins 269 

 and 304. 



