ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 281 



As soon as the calf is licked dry by its mother, it should 

 have strength enough to rise and suck; if it has not, it should 

 be assisted. The calf may be taken away from its mother after 

 its first meal, or, if preferred, can be left with the cow until the 

 milk is good. It is easier to teach the calf to drink if it is taken 

 away early. Our experience is that if the calf is taken away at 

 once, or when four or five days old, it will make good gains the 

 first week, but if left two or three weeks, the first seven days after 

 weaning will be a losing period. If the cow's udder is caked it 

 is desirable to leave the calf with her, as the rubbing of the calf 

 tends to alleviate the inflammation. 



Feeding Milk and Skim-Milk. 



Breaking the Calf to Drink. It is well to leave the 

 calf by itself for at least twelve hours and, in case the calf has 

 run with its mother for several clays, possibly twenty-four hours. 

 Attempts to feed the calf earlier than this usually do the calf no 

 good and may injure the feeder's temper. If the calf's muzzle 

 is held in the milk and its mouth pried open once, so that it tastes 

 the milk, our experience tells us that the calf can be taught to 

 drink without the feeder being obliged to place his hand in the 

 milk and allow the calf to suck his finger — an unpleasant experi- 

 ence in winter weather. 



This station has had some experience with calf-feeders, 

 which consist of a rubber nipple and tube, the latter fastened at 

 a convenient height for the calf to reach, and the tube placed in 

 the milk-pail. The manufacturers of these feeders claim that a 

 calf can be taught to feed itself easier, and that it does not gulp 

 its milk down as when drinking out of a pail. Our experience 

 indicates that the first point is not well taken; that it is as easy, 

 if not easier, to teach the calf to drink without the feeder. With 

 the feeder the calf loses the nipple, and is unable to find it with- 

 out the assistance from the attendant. As to rapid drinking 

 the statement is all too true — so much so, that in cold weather 

 the milk will become entirely too cold before the calf can consume 



