GROWING AND FITTING CATTLE FOR EXHIBITION 313 



The calves will begin to take such food when they are 

 not much more than two weeks old, if given access to 

 it. This would be accomplished by putting grain in a 

 box even when the calves are still with the dams, pro- 

 viding the latter are tied. Though made constantly 

 accessible during the period named, it is better not to 

 feed it much in excess of the needs of the calves, and the 

 unconsumed residue should be removed sufficiently often 

 to keep the food in the highest condition as to pala- 

 tability. 



About two weeks subsequent to the time when the 

 calves begin to take meal, or when they are about four 

 weeks old, it will be in order to add ground corn or peas 

 so as to make the mixture contain, say, lo per cent by 

 weight of the factor added. Two months later, or when 

 the calves are about three months old, oil meal should 

 be added and the grain mixture should then be about as 

 follows by weight : Oats, 50 per cent ; bran, 35 ; corn or 

 peas, 10, and oil meal, 5. When the calves are, say, 

 five months old, it should be further changed so as to 

 contain by weight: Oats, 45 per cent; bran, 30; corn or 

 peas, 20, and oil meal, 5. If the calves are not carry- 

 ing enough flesh, as the season for exhibiting draws 

 near, the mixture should be strengthened by adding corn 

 or peas. By the time the calves are 12 months old they 

 will take from, say, 8 to 12 pounds of meal daily, and 

 should weigh from 900 to 1,000 pounds. 



In the one-year form, when returning from the fairs, 

 the grain should be reduced from 2 to 5 pounds daily, 

 for reasons given below (see page 325), but the propor- 

 tions in the mixture are virtually the same as those fed 

 preceding the fairs, except that, in some instances, the 

 proportion of corn fed is reduced. The reduction thus 

 made should continue until April or May. The amount 

 fed should then be gradually increased, taking about 

 four weeks to bring the animal up to the maximum 

 amounts; that is, to all that they will eat with good 



