102 THE MANAGEMENT AND FICEDING OF CATTLE 



may not be very pronounced in animals so young. It 

 is a fact, nevertheless, that regular breeding is materially 

 affected by habit, as well as are other functions of the 

 organization. Because of this the female that becomes 

 impregnated within a reasonable time after the birth of 

 her calf is more likely to breed regularly than the female 

 with whom impregnation is deferred. 



Rearing calves from heifers. — Grade calves from 

 heifers bred at an early age are seldom reared. Those 

 from heifers maintained for beef are usually grown for 

 the block for the reason that, as a rule, they do not grow 

 into cows so large and robust as those that are the off- 

 spring of mature dams. This does not mean that they 

 are necessarily small and delicate, but simply that the 

 tendency in rearing them for breeding would be down- 

 ward. That it should be so is the natural outcome of 

 diverted rather than concentrated energies in the dam 

 in relation to reproduction. Uncompleted growth in the 

 dam diverts sustenance that would otherwise go to sus- 

 tain the fetus in the pregnant dam. The loss in stamina 

 may not be much in any one instance, but the tendency 

 is always in that direction. 



Calves from grade heifers of the beef types are 

 usually reared for the reason, first, that the heifers are 

 frequentlv bred at a later age than heifers of dairy type, 

 so that their calves are possessed of stronger relative 

 development; and, second, that when grown for beef 

 lack of large development is less objectionable than if 

 grown for breeding. The animal grown for beef on the 

 arable farm usuallj^ reaches the market under three 

 years, while that grown for milk production may remain 

 in the herd for several years, thus transmitting inferior- 

 ity to its progeny. 



The progeny of immature heifers of pure breeding, 

 both in the Ijeef and (lair^' classes, are almost invariably 

 reared. They are thus retained for the reason that they 

 will sell for more than meat ])rice, and, in some instances, 



