THE COW AND THE DAIRY. 



19 



which it is allowed to run with the Cow till about twelve weeks, when it is 

 weaned, and put in a confined place out of sight and hearing, to prevent the Cow 

 being made uneasy from hearing her Calf. The Calf is then fed on cut grass, 

 clover, or other green food, with hay and bran, till such time as it forgets its 

 dam. It should then be turned out upon good pasture ; for; unless the Calf be 

 well fed at an early age, it will become stinted in its growth, and, when arrived 

 at maturity, will not fatten so readily as if proper attention had been paid to it 

 while young. 



In many dairy districts, it has been found desirable to deprive the Calf of the 

 greater portion of milk ; which has been accomplished by its being taught to 

 drink skimmed milk in a lukewarm state, by the following means : — When the 

 animal has fasted two or three hours, the first and second fingers of the right hand 

 are presented to its mouth ; of these it readily takes hold, sucking very eagerly ; 

 in the mean time, a vessel of lukewarm milk is placed and supported by the left 

 hand under the Calf's mouth ; and, while it is sucking, the right hand is gradu- 

 ally sunk a little way into the milk, so that it may draw in a sufficient quantity 

 without stopping the nostrils. Should, however, either from accident or from too 

 sudden precipitation of the hand into the milk, the Calf let go its hold, the at-' 

 tempt must be repeatedly renewed till crowned with success. For the space of 

 three or four weeks, they are usually fed with lukewarm milk and water. A 

 small quantity of hay, ground oats or bran, and sometimes oil-cake, is then placed 

 within their reach, which induces them to eat. Toward the end of May they 

 are turned out to grass, being taken in for a few nights, when they have tepid 

 milk and water given them ; which is usually continued, though gradually, in 

 smaller proportions during the last month, till they are able to feed themselves, 

 when they totally disregard it. It is then advisable to turn them into pastures 

 where the grass is short and sweet. 



Many attempts have been made to rear Calves by artificial means, which by 

 some is said to have answered very well, where the animal has been confined 

 and shut up in the dark ; this practice has been proved to be injurious, and espe- 

 ciallv if the Calves are intended for stock. We certainly have no practice which 

 can answer so well as that where the laws of Nature are strictly attended to, 

 and the Calf is supplied with nourishment such as Nature dictates. 



The greatest attention in fattening Calves should be paid to cleanliness, with- 

 out which neither will the Calf fatten quickly, nor when fat be of good color ; 

 much risk will also follow in losing the Calf from fever, or from scouring. Chalk 

 should be always before them to lick, to counteract the acidity always found in 

 great abundance in the stomach of the Calf when feeding on milk. 



It is advisable in fattening Calves to keep them quiet, and to allow them to 

 suck the Cow night and morning, taking the last of the milk, which is considered 

 to be the most rich and nourishing. By this treatment tl,ie Calf will gradually 

 become sufficiently fat in seven or eight weeks ; and, when so, it is no advantage 

 to keep it a day longer — as small veal, if fat, is preferable to large. 



It, is by some a practice to bleed Calves weekly, after they are four or five 

 weeks old, and always a short time before they are killed— by which course the 

 veal is rendered whiter. 



As castrating Calves is an operation which ought not to be performed but by 

 skillful practitioners, we shall refrain from giving any directions— recommending 

 the operation to be performed at the age of eight or ten weeks, as at that age the 

 danger is considerably lessened. The animals should be kept quiet and warm 

 after the operation ; and if, on the following day, the scrotum should be much 

 swollen and inflamed, the wound may be opened, and the coagulated blood re- 

 moved. ,. J. 1 • 



Whether calves are kept for veal or for stock, they are begun to be led m the 

 same manner, by sucking milk from a dish. As they naturally seek for the teat 

 wken their nose is pu&Jo the dish, the fingers of the attendant may be put into 

 i\M mouth when in*£ milk, and this will set them going in the art of artifi- 

 cial sucking. " The liflk " (says the author of " Clerical Economics,") " should 

 be given to'them sparingly at first, to render their appetite more keen, and pre- 

 vent tibm from loathing at their food. For the first two weeks they should be 

 fed on the milk first drawn from the Cow, locally termed the /orebroads, which 

 abounds with serum ; and as they grow up, the quantity of milk is gradually m- 



