282 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



safe rule is always to keep the calf a little hungry. Calves should be 

 fed individually, the allowance for each being measured or weighed, 

 and the amount fed depending on the size and vigor of the individual. 

 Guernsey and Jersey calves require not over 8 to 10 lbs. daily for the 

 first 3 to 4 weeks, and those of the larger breeds not over 10 to 12 lbs. 



Feeding skim milk. — When the calf is from 2 to 4 weeks old, skim 

 milk may gradually replace the whole milk at the rate of 0.5 to 1 lb. 

 per day, a week or 10 days being required for the change. With very 

 rich milk, some prefer to dilute with skim milk from the start. A 

 few breeders feed some whole milk for as long as 2 months. 



After changing to skim milk the allowance may be increased grad- 

 ually, but should not exceed 18 lbs. daily until the calf is 6 weeks old, 

 and only in rare cases should over 20 lbs. daily be fed. Skim milk is 

 at its best when, still warm, it goes at once from the farm separator to 

 the calf. Milk held for any length of time or chilled should always 

 be warmed to blood temperature, or about 100° F., before feeding. 

 When the calf is 3 to 4 months old it may be accustomed to cooler 

 milk provided the temperature is reasonably uniform. The pails in 

 which the milk is fed should be kept scrupulously clean. Feeding 

 cold skim milk or that which is sour, stale, and swarming with unde- 

 sirable bacteria is the common cause of scours. Patrons of creameries 

 should insist that all skim milk be pasteurized before it is returned 

 to the farm. This precaution not only keeps the milk sweet longer 

 but it kills the disease-producing bacteria, thereby lessening trouble 

 from scours and preventing the possible introduction of tuberculosis. 

 Skim-milk feeding should usually continue for 8 to 10 months, but 

 when the supply of milk is scant a thrifty calf may be weaned after 

 3 months, provided good substitutes for milk are fed, as shown later. 



At feeding time hand-reared calves should be confined in stanchions, 

 to remain for a time after the milk is drunk until they consume their 

 concentrate allowance and overcome the desire to suck each other's 

 ears or udders. When this precaution is neglected, the shape of the 

 udder may be injured or a heifer may later persist in sucking herself 

 or others. 



Feeding concentrates. — When 1 to 2 weeks old the calf should be 

 taught to eat concentrates. Such feeds as corn meal, sieved ground 

 oats, barley meal, kafir meal, wheat bran, red dog flour, and linseed 

 meal, alone or in mixture, may be placed in the bottom of the pail 

 after the calf has finished drinking its milk. Some add the concen- 

 trates to the milk, but this is inadvisable for the meal is then less 

 thoroly mixed with the saliva. The addition of such concentrates as 

 bran or linseed meal to the farm grains may be helpful in teaching 

 the calf to eat. The dull calf may be taught to eat the meal by rub- 



