MVE-STOCK 109 



of (-living. In such a case an ounce or two of castor oil may 

 be given to the calf. During the first month the calf should 

 get sufficient milk, 2 to 4 lb. a day according to its size. If 

 the cow is a poor milker, the whole of the milk should be left 

 to the calf. During the next month, half this quantity may be 

 allowed, the calf being taken out for grazing or supplied with 



grass and also given a little special food — skimmed milk, 

 utter milk, linseed meal or rice or cholam or kambu conjee. 

 Hand-fed calves may be weaned when 4 to 6 months old. 



Bulls are castrated in this country when they are four and 

 five years old, the objection to earlier castration being that the 

 growth is stunted. Unfortunately this leads to promiscuous 

 breeding, young and unsuitable stock being allowed to cover 

 cows. It is still a matter for question, as to the best age at 

 which to castrate young bulls, so far as their growth and 

 nature is concerned. Young animals should get exercise. 

 Even when there is no grazing available, they must be taken 

 out for a run. The weight of calf at birth is 1/15 to 1/12 of 

 that of the mother. Nellore calves weigh 40 to 50 lb. at 

 birth and Kangayam and big sized country calves 30 to 40 lb. 



Feeding. 



After a calf has been weaned, it must be fed liberally and 

 regularly as the animal goes on continuously growing. It is 

 only a well fed calf that will grow into a good bull or heifer. 

 Bad or interrupted feeding during the early years tells upon 

 the system throughout life. In addition to good grazing or 

 supply of fodder and grass, which forms the bulk of food in 

 cattle of all ages, the young stock should get a certain amount 

 of concentrated food. The tissues of the body among other 

 elements contain nitrogen. Nitrogen is not contained in all 

 food stuffs but the other elements generally are. The special 

 food given to young stock should therefore be rich in nitro- 

 gen. Nitrogen is found in cotton seed and in pulses such as 

 grams, groundnuts, etc. A mixture of equal parts of horse- 

 gram, cotton-seed and groundnut cake will be a proper food 

 for young stock. Young animals should be let loose daily for 

 grazing and exercise. Byots take care of their bull calves but 

 neglect their heifer calves. It is very right to feed and look 

 after the bull calves well, so that they may grow into good 

 breeding bulls or draught cattle, but it is wrong to neglect the 

 heifer calves. If heifers are required for breeding they must 

 be brought up well. Both the sire and the dam influence the 

 progeny, although the former has more influence in the herd. 

 A dairy cow in milk must be fed well and regularly. She 



