CHAPTER X 

 COWS THAT SUCKLE THEIR CALVES 



The management of cows that suckle their calves, dis- 

 cussed in this chapter, dwells upon the following phases 

 of the subject: (i) Management while the cows are 

 pregnant; {2) Care at the time of parturition; (3) Re- 

 moving the surplus milk; (4) Management when the 

 calf remains with the dam ; (5) Management when the calf 

 is confined; (6) Food and care in summer; (7) Food 

 and care in winter ; (8) Management relating to breeding. 

 The considerations submitted relate to the management 

 of beef herds that are purely bred, and also to grade 

 herds kept under extensive conditions. 



Management while pregnant. — The discussion of 

 this phase of the question will be confined to the period 

 of rest subsequent to the drying of? of the pregnant 

 cows. This period usually covers from four to six 

 months, and more commonly the latter period than the 

 former, as calves are seldom allowed to nurse their dams 

 beyond the age of six months. For the season when it 

 is most desirable to have the calves come see page i. 



The care called for during this rest period is not 

 complicated. The cows should, of course, be gradually 

 and carefully dried off, that the udders may not take 

 injury. The drying-off process is gradual, and is facil- 

 itated by allowing the calves to suck but once a day for a 

 week or two before final removal, and by keeping the 

 cows on dry food. If the dry period occurs during grazing, 

 the cows require no other care than providing them 

 with pastures sufficiently abundant to keep them in good 

 ffesh, and to supply them with water, shade, and salt in 

 the same. While on such pastures, this class of cows 



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