318 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



and will give a good account of themselves when fattened the 

 following summer. 



Calves cared for as suggested should reach a weight of 

 375 to 450 pounds by the time they are six months of age. 

 While such calves make very excellent beef when well fed, they 

 are nevertheless very expensive, for the breeder must keep the 

 cow one year for the production of this 400-pound calf. No 

 exact figures can be given as to the cost, for much will depend 

 on the conditions. ^ It is true that formerly many calves were 

 thus raised in the grain belt, whereas at the present time prac- 

 tically none are so raised. It would seem then to be no longer 

 profitable on land suited for grain growing. In view of recent 

 developments it seems unlikely that the price of beef will go 

 high enough to make it a profitable industry. That producing 

 such calves can be made a profitable industry in the outlying 

 territory of cheap pasture lands, however, admits of no doubt. 



Feeding the beef calf. — If the cow's milk is desired, the calf 

 should be weaned on or before the ninth milking, when the 

 milk becomes fit for human consumption. As a rule the earlier 

 the calf is weaned the more easily it can be taught to drink 

 from the pail. On the other hand, it is better for both cow 

 and calf to have the calf suckle as long as possible. The beef 

 calf can be taught to drink and changed from whole to skim 

 milk much as suggested for the dairy calf (pages 251 to 255). 



There has been much discussion from time to time, among 

 beef producers, as to the possibilities of the skim-milk-fed calf 

 as a beef-producing animal. In fact, the skim-milk calf as a 

 beef producer is not likely to be considered seriously by the 

 experienced beef producers of the middle West. To these men 

 the skim-milk calf means a stunted, pot-bellied animal with 

 papery skin, lacking in quality and thrift, a fit subject for ridi- 

 cule, but hardly worth while in the. feed lot. That these ex- 

 perienced men are justified in their opinion there can be no 

 doubt, for the average skim-milk calf has not much to recom- 



