VIII 

 THE REARING OF THE CALF 



As A rule, it will be best if the calf can be born 

 in the autumn, September or October. There are 

 sound reasons of good dairy management why this 

 is usually best. For one thing, it brings the largest 

 production of milk during the winter months when 

 prices are much higher than in summer. This 

 plan also allows the cows to stand dry and hence 

 to need very little attention during the stress of 

 midsummer farm activities, no small consideration 

 as every dairyman knows. Then again the fall- 

 bom calf is likely to receive better care and at- 

 tention and to make a more satisfactory growth. 

 The spring calf, even with the best of intentions 

 on the part of the owner, is too likely at times to 

 be neglected in the rush of soil preparation and 

 haying and harvest. The greatest enemy to thrift 

 in a calf is not fairly low winter temperatures, but 

 rather the flies and heat of July and August. 



If the weather is warm and dry, there is no bet- 

 ter place for the calf to be bom than on a clean 

 grassy pasture. Usually the other members of the 

 herd will display very little interest in the event. 



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