CHAPTER XXIII. 



THE CARE OF THE COW AT CALVING. 



No words are needed to emphasize the importance of this subject to the 

 practical breeder and dairyman. A very brief and limited experience is enough 

 to convince any observing man that unless the cow does well at this critical 

 period her usefulness for a long time will be greatly impaired, if her life is not 

 actually lost. Milk fever, caked udder, garget and retention of the placenta 

 are all diseases characteristic of this period, and all much better subjects of 

 prevention than treatment. It is a very unfortunate fact also that as to some 

 of these diseases the best cows are most subject to attack. Even the rugged 

 constitution of our Holsteins does not always exempt them. 



Amongst its clientage the Holstein-Friesian Register numbers many of the 

 most skillful and successful breeders of the world. At considerable trouble it 

 has secured from some of these experienced men a statement of their methods 

 of procedure at this decisive time in the cow's life, which we reproduce here. 



F. Roe, Sunnybrook Stock Farm, Augusta, N. J.: 



"Two months before time to calve, one-half the usual grain ration is taken 

 off, and the cow milked once daily for three days ; then she is allowed to go 

 thirty-six hours between milkings, then forty-eight, continuing in this way 

 twelve hours longer each time until she is entirely dry. If she is a very persist- 

 ent milker, I would take all the grain ration off until dry. Then commence 

 feeding again, lightly at first, but gradually increasing to three-fourths her 

 usual ration. One week before time to calve give one pound Epsom salts at 

 night. If they operate the next morning, all right; if not, give one-half pound 

 more. The evening of same day she is taken from the rest of the dairy, and 

 put in a box stall well bedded with straw, and kept there until calf arrives. If 

 bowels are not right, another pound of salts is given. As soon as the calf will 

 suck, it is moved from one teat to another, so as to draw an equal amount of 

 milk from each quarter. The cow is not milked dry until the end of third day. 

 The feed after calving is bran; drink, water warmed to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, 

 one pailful (four gallons) every hour until she has all she will take. The 

 warm drink is kept up for three days, then gradually cooled until by fifth day 

 she is allowed cold water, and, if all right, is put back with the rest of the 

 dairy. The feed is gradually changed and increased for two weeks, when she 

 will be on full rations again. This winter the ration is five pounds bran, three 

 pounds dried brewers' grains, two pounds Chicago gluten, one pound old pro- 

 cess linseed meal, forty pounds corn ensilage well eared, five pounds meadow 

 hay. We do not milk before calf comes, unless the udder is very badly swollen; 

 then she is milked dry every twelve hours until calf comes. We used to lose 

 cows with milk fever, but have not had a single case since we commenced this 

 course. I think the most important point is to leave a part of the milk in 

 udder, and the warm drink and warm quarters so that the cow never gets 

 chilled, which is very apt to bring on the fever." 



Henry Stevens & Sons, Brookside herd, Lacona, N. Y. : 



"We prefer to have a cow dry at least four weeks. We think nature 

 demands this. We always avoid feeding any corn meal, or carbonaceous food 

 of any kind, for at least two weeks before a cow is due to calve. We prefer 

 wheat bran, or perhaps wheat bran with one-third ground oats, for a grain 

 ration, and always carefully avoid any kind of food that would be liable to cre- 

 ate fever. A week or ten days before a cow is expected to calve we provide her 

 with a roomy, clean and dry pen, well bedded with dry straw and located in 

 the warmest part of the stable. 



"If the cow is six years old or over and is in good condition (and we believe 

 it very important she should be) we give her immediately after calf is born one 

 pound of Epsom salts. Always place a warm blanket on the cow, remove all 

 bedding that is damp and replace with dry, then give a pail of bran mash as 

 warm as the cow will eat. 



"As soon as the calf has taken a little milk, which we endeavor to assist it 



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