308 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



for the senior classes is September i and for the junior 

 classes January i. Calves of the latter class are gen- 

 erally allowed to show with those of the former, if entry 

 to that effect has been duly lodged with the secretary 

 of the fair, but the reverse of that is, of course, never 

 allowed. 



The same rules apply to reckoning the age of breed- 

 ing animals, including animals of all three classes. But 

 there is an additional class for breeding animals of both 

 sexes, known as the aged class. All animals beyond the 

 two-year form are allowed to compete against each other 

 in this class. With breeding animals that are imma- 

 ture, it is quite important that they shall be born as near 

 as possible to the date from which age counts as with 

 animals grown only for meat. 



Milk furnished and its sources. — The calf is 

 allowed to remain with the dam from the time that it is 

 born until it is two or three weeks old. Being thus 

 allowed to take food in a natural way, the functions per- 

 taining to digestion are almost certain to be normal in 

 their action, and because they are the foundation for 

 future development is well laid. But since the animals 

 are to be large consumers of food, if they are to win 

 in the show rings, proper distention of the stomach and 

 digestive organs should begin earl_y, hence they are shut 

 away from the dam within the time limit mentioned, in 

 order to encourage them to take other food, which they 

 will do toward the end of the period stated, if separated 

 from the dam. If with her, instead of taking such food 

 to satisfy the appetite, they will take milk from the dam. 



After removal from the dam, they are to be allowed 

 to nurse three times daily for a week or two, and sub- 

 sequently are allowed to nurse but twice daily. Careful 

 attention should be given to the feeding and manage- 

 ment of the cow in order to stimulate the milk flow to 

 tiie greatest extent possible, especially after the calf 

 becomes able to take all the milk furnished by the cow. 



