CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF THE COW. 49 



When the heifer calf is reared for dairy purposes, less 

 forcing food is required and even desirable. Ample exer- 

 cise, too, is necessary. The rules to be observed are to give 

 the milk, whether it be new or skimmed, of the natural 

 temperature, to be obtained by warming a portion of it 

 before mixing with the rest ; and perfectly sweet ; to take 

 care that calves are brought into shelter at night, at least 

 till June and again after September, and to keep them few 

 together in the field. After a few days they are fed from 

 the pail, by getting them to suck the fingers under the 

 surface of the milk ; giving them at first two quarts a-piece 

 in the morning, and two quarts a-piece at night ; and it is 

 well to tie them up for the purpose, and to let them 

 remain tied up for twenty minutes or more after being fed, 

 else they take to sucking and plaguing one another. A 

 little hay in a network bag is hung here and there in the 

 calves' house, that they may learn to suck and eat it. 

 During the first winter, a little hay is given along with 

 turnips and mangold wurzel and a little bit of oilcake daily 

 benefits them. The ensuing summer is spent in second 

 year's clover, or old sainfoin as pasture, and in the case of 

 the more precocious breeds, they are often put to the bull 

 at sixteen months old. They are fed during their second 

 winter on a full allowance of roots and straw with a morsel 

 of good hay or oilcake in addition. To keep up a herd of 

 dairy cows, about one fifth their number of heifer calves 

 must be reared each year ; these are almost invariably 

 selected from the calves of the herd, the remainder being 

 sold as soon as possible after birth. If, however, it be 

 desired to rear heifer calves for sale as young cows, it is 

 good policy to purchase them from the best dairies, even 

 though you pay 3L a-piece for what elsewhere would not 



