Feeding Dairy Cattle 



be done bv rubbing the little nubs of horns with a stick of 



caustic potash. This may be purchased at any drug store. 



When using it, precaution should be taken that it does not 



come in contact with the hands. This is easily done liy 



\\ra])ping in paper the end of the stick that is held in the 



hand. 



Clip the hair away from the button of horn. Dip the end 

 of the stick of caustic potash into water and rub the horn 

 hard with it until the skin all around the button is raw and 

 bleeds a little. This is necessary in order to wholly destro}' 

 the horn tissue. Be careful that the caustic liquid does not 

 run down into the eyes of the calf. 



This seems like a cruel practice, but in reality it is a most 

 humane one, because it does not hurt the calf very much, 

 and dehorning a mature animal is very painful and more or 

 less dangerous. Cattle that have been dehorned are more 

 docile, cannot injure each other, or the attendant, and are 

 proljablv more productive. The sores made by the dehorn- 

 ing process will quickly heal and need no attention. The 

 thing of greatest importance is to do a thorough job, mak- 

 ing sure that the horn button is absolutely destroyed. If 

 only a part is destroyed a stubby, misshaped horn will grow 

 and a poorly shaped head will result. 



A'luch trouble is sometimes experienced from scours aris- 

 ing from indigestion. This trouble is to be prevented rather 

 than cured. It may be prevented by proper feeding. The 

 above directions have been followed in a herd of sixty calves 

 and the calves made an average gain of ten pounds and over 

 per week. Blood meal has been used religiousl}-, and when 

 a little trouble has come the only treatment that has been 

 necessary has been to cut down the food at least one-half 

 and to add a pint of clear lime water for a feed or two. Then 

 bring the calf gradually to full feed again. 



The following table shows the comparative cost of feeding 

 according to the three methods mentioned: 



Pounds average Feed cost of 100 



Food daily gain lbs. of grain 



Skimmed milk 1.5 $2.26 



Whole milk 1.9 7.06 



Running with dam 1.8 4.41 



This table is from the actual results in handling a total of 

 forty-two calves divided about equallv into three lots. The 

 feed cost would vary with the locality, but shows a compari- 

 son that might reasonably be expected. The comparison 

 shows that skimmed milk is by far the least expensive, 

 and a daily gain of 1.5 pounds will give a heifer that will be 



Page Ninety-four 



