CALVES FROM BIRTH UNTIL ONE YEAR OLD \J 



used in the dairy. Unless the digestive processes are 

 properly started at the first, the young animal begins 

 existence under a handicap which it may never be able 

 to overcome completely. Because of this, that method 

 of providing sustenance that will conduce to such an 

 end should be adopted. Nature's method is unquestion- 

 ably the best, which allows the young animal to take 

 nourishment from the dam when disposed to do so. By 

 the time that the milk of the dam is fit for use in the 

 dairy, the young animal should have made a good start, 

 thus preparing it for the more artificial methods of feed- 

 ing that are to follow. Should it be objected that the 

 calf thus allowed to take nourishment from the dam will 

 not readily learn to drink milk subsequently, it may be 

 answered that if allowed to become sufficiently hungry, 

 it may soon be induced to take milk with or without 

 the hand. The hunger thus permitted may prove a 

 slight check to development, but it will not be in any 

 degree serious with a calf that has been given a good 

 start in life. 



The continuance of the period during which new 

 milk only should be fed will depend to a considerable 

 degree upon the object for which the animal is to be 

 reared. (See page i8. ) It will usually vary from one 

 to four weeks. The time occupied in making the 

 transition from all whole milk to all skim milk is about 

 the same. The duration of both periods is influenced 

 by the price of new milk, the object for which the calf 

 is reared, and the inherent vigor of the calf. The 

 higher the value of new milk, the greater the necessity 

 for restricting its use, but this should never be done to 

 the extent of preventing reasonable development, both 

 present and prospective. 



When reared with a view to furnish milk chiefly, 

 the shorter period of taking whole milk only, and of 

 changing to all skim milk, may be in order, but when 



