THE FEEDING AND CARE OF BULLS I07 



fleshiness beyond a certain degree in bulls of the dairy 

 type militates against desirable transmission in flesh pro- 

 duction, then it follows that any marked departure in 

 what may be termed equilibrium in the condition of 

 bulls of the dual types will so far militate against equi- 

 librium of transmission in the same. 



Food and care during the milk period. — During the 

 milk period the management of bulls of the dairy breed 

 or type will be essentially the same as that accorded to 

 calves that are being reared for the dairy on skim milk 

 and the accompanying adjuncts. (See page i6.) But 

 it is more important relatively that the male shall be 

 possessed of the best attainment possible ; even more 

 care should be given if necessary to insure the most suit- 

 able development. The aim should be to secure maxi- 

 mum growth, maximum symmetry, and maximum vigor. 

 To secure the first, it is speciall}^ important that the 

 digestion shall not be impaired by overfeeding, and that 

 the diet shall be essentially nitrogenous and liberal in 

 supply. Feeding skim milk for a prolonged period will 

 favor such development. To secure the second calls 

 for careful regularity in feeding and in the balancing of 

 the foods given as to bulk, so that distention of the 

 paunch shall be gradual and not excessive. Too rapid 

 distention of the paunch tends to increase in the sway 

 in the back, and is unnecessarily antagonistic to sym- 

 metrical development. 



The sway back, though frequently possessed by 

 dairy animals of both sexes, is in no way essential to 

 high performance in the dairy, but is rather the outcome 

 of overloading the paunch in calfhood until, in some 

 breeds, it has become more or less a breed characteristic. 

 To secure the third calls for abundant opportunity to 

 take exercise from birth. Such exercise, in addition to 

 maintaining stamina, tends to normal development in 

 the organs concerned in procreation. Too much atten- 

 tion cannot easilv be gi\'en to securing stamina in the 



