CHAFER VII. 

 ON THE REARING OF HEIFER CALVES. 



The rearing of heifer calves has always been regarded as the most 

 important branch of dairy farming. By paying attention to this de- 

 partment one has the power of making his herd of cows just what he 

 pleases, and can regulate them to suit his requirements as regards the 

 production of dairy produce. He can then rear cows that will best 

 produce either milk or butter, as well as having a breed of animals 

 suited to the land that is to support them. Besides this, he will better 

 understand the quality and nature of his stock, which is a matter of 

 paramount importance. 



If a dairy 'farmer understands the care of his heifers he will seldom 

 find them deceptive in the milk bail. He will also be in a position 

 to guard against ailments. Take, for example, white scour, which is 

 the greatest scourge to which calves are subject (and which has a 

 telling influence on the animals in a-fter years) ; this disease has to 

 be most carefully guarded against by an experienced feeder, or if we 

 ?nay use the term, a capable nurse. Care should be taken not to 

 change the food of calves, too suddenly, but accustom them to what 

 is coming by slow gradations, giving them a small quantity at first, 

 and increasing it afterwards. The quality o-f the food, too, ought to 

 always be a point for due consideration in calf-raising. 



The chief object of the food supplied to young heifers is to pro- 

 duce bone and muscle, as the production of a large amount of fat 

 is not desirable. The food, therefore, should be rich in albuminoids, 

 phosphoric acid, and lime. The milk, called colostrum, which Nature 

 furnishes for the young animal at birth, is exactly fitted for the pur- 

 pose designed. The key is given in the comparison 01 the cow's milk 

 throughout her milking period as to the food the calf, the heifer, the 

 cow, should receive through life. 



After the calves have been weaned it is well to run them 'for some 

 time on what may be termed good limestone country, where they will 

 experience a distinct change of climate from the one in which they 

 have been bred and received their early training. All this is so well 

 understood, and is so entirely a matter of routine, that it requires no 

 elaboration just now. As has been stated, the rearing of one's own 

 stock gives the dairy farmer a great advantage, as most o>f his heifers 

 will turn out well, and if, when they have brought lorth their first 

 calf, and he is not satisfied with them, he can sell them off. This 

 last resort, however, requires sound judgment, as many a valuable 

 cow was far from being a success on her first calf, or second calf as 

 a matter of fact. 



To describe the points of a dairy bred calf is about the most dim- 

 cult task one ever set oneself. For example, who has not seen very 

 handsome, well-grown calves, turn into very inferior cows, and ill- 

 shaped, poorly fed calves develop into first-class cows. Therefore, 

 we will pause here for a moment and endeavour to describe its dam. 



Even to debate all the favourite points of a cow would require 

 rather a large-sized volume. It is said : " When you see a number 

 of prominent good points in any animal, examine it carefully and you 

 are certain to find out a few very bad ones, the bad ones often being 

 hidden from view at first sight." We shall, therefore, only introduce 

 the following marks which so often distinguishes a good dairy cow 

 from that of cows of the beef-producing types. They are as follows : 



Head. Forehead broad, eyes full, square muzzle face fine and rather 

 long from eyes downwards ; cheeks and jaws flat and clean. 



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