Feeding Dairy Cattle 



SO well developed that it will be very difficult to recognize 

 her from her sister, raised on whole milk, when both reach 

 the age of two years. 



XXI. Raising Calves on Substitutes for Milk 



ON MANY farms there is need for method of feeding 

 calves with a small amount of milk. The breeder has 

 not yet reached the place in his business where he can 

 afford to feed his calves on whole milk, although this is by far 

 the best method for raising the calves to get that fine finish 

 desired by buyers of the best bred stock. Neither is there 

 available a supply of skimmed milk. The small breeder 

 must send his raw milk to market and if he is to raise the 

 herd and breed it up according to his own individual ideas, 

 he must breed and raise his own young stock. How can he 

 do this with a minimum of whole milk? 



There are two general ways open to him : (i) He can pur- 

 chase and feed the commercial calf meals on the market. 

 (2) He can mix up his own calf meal. Both of these ways 

 have been tried out carefully on many farms and at several 

 experiment stations, so that we know that good dairy heif- 

 ers can be raised on substitutes for milk. In test of these 

 calf meals alongside check groups raised on skimmed milk at 

 two vears of age, it has been found that there is no difference 

 in development. The 3'oung calves do not grow quite as 

 fast at first but soon pick up after six months of age, and, at 

 two vears of age, there is no appreciable difference. In our 

 experience there has been no difference in productive ability 

 that can in any wav be attributed to the fact that the calves 

 were raided on substitutes for milk. 



The importance of this cannot be overestimated. We 

 must interest all our dairy farmers to raise and breed their 

 own stock. MauA- farmers do not raise their own stock 

 simply because thev can not see any way to raise the calves 

 without milk. Therefore they maintain their herds by pur- 

 chase. It is a great gain for the industry of dairying every 

 time a farmer can be interested to improve his herd by his 



own breeding. 



COMMERCIAL CALF MEAL 



Feed manufacturers in the past few years have greatly 



increased the number of commercial meals on the market. 



They are all much alike as to ingredients. It will not be 



poss'ible to name all the commercial calf meals on the market 



or to give their ingredients. Each farmer in selecting his 



Page Ninety-five 



