THE EEAEING OF THE CALF 83 



During much of the year, however, a roomy well- 

 bedded box-stall should be provided. The period 

 of gestation in cows is about 285 days, but a varia- 

 tion of two weeks in either direction is not un- 

 common. Just a day or two preceding parturi- 

 tion, certain marked physical evidences appear 

 which enable one accustomed to observe cows to 

 know that calving is about to occur. The most 

 marked of these is the relaxation of the pelvic 

 ligaments and the abundant secretion of milk in 

 the udder. Twelve or twenty-four hours pre- 

 viously, the teats will fill with milk to such an ex- 

 tent as to become somewhat firm and rigid and the 

 coming of the calf will then not be long delayed. 

 Eather close watch should now be kept in order to 

 be prepared to render assistance in the occasional 

 cases in which it is needed. Ordinarily, however, 

 the youngster comes into the world with very little 

 trouble, and if the mother lives up to the customs 

 of her race she has within an hour very thoroughly 

 cleaned her baby with her tongue (the bovine 

 equivalent of a bath), it has taken its first meal 

 from her full udder and curled up and gone to 

 sleep. Maternity among cows seems to be a pass- 

 ing incident rather than a great event. 



In the typical scheme of beef production, there 

 is really no such problem as rearing the calf. It 

 is merely allowed to remain with its mother and 

 she brings it up strictly according to ancestral 

 training and generally avoids all trouble of indi- 



