60 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



30 pounds wheat bran. 



10 pounds oil meal. 



Corn silage can be fed as soon as the calf will eat it. 

 Silage will not be consumed to any great extent until the 

 calf is two months old. It is important that the silage is of 

 a good quality. 



The calf must also have free access to clean water after 

 it is a few weeks old. This is very necessary, since water is 

 just as essential an element entering into the feed of the calf 

 as any other feed. 



In order that the heifer calf will develop into a good 

 cow, it must be kept growing from birth to maturity. 



The age at which a heifer should be bred will vary 

 somewhat in different breeds. The smaller breeds can be 

 bred a little younger than the larger breeds. The state of 

 development must also be taken into consideration. 



Heifers that have been slow in developing should not 

 be bred as soon as those that have developed more rapidly. 

 Normally developed animals should be bred at the follow- 

 ing ages: 



Holsteins — 19 to 21 months. 



Ayrshires — 18 to 20 months. 



Guernseys — 17 to 19 months. 



Jerseys — 15 to 17 months. 



VALUE OF A GOOD SIRE 



The question of getting for immediate use a herd that 

 may be kept at a profit is a question of the selection of the 

 individual cow. 



It is generally conceded that, taking all dairy cattle 

 into account, about one-third of those raised are unsatis- 

 factory and have to be culled out as unprofitable where rec- 

 ords are kept. This results in an enormous loss of feed in 

 the aggregate, not only in raising unprofitable animals, but 

 in keeping them until their worthlessness is proven. 



In this connection, one of the first questions to arise is 

 whether these inferior animals which must be culled are 

 the result of inheritance or of environment. In other words, 

 is a good or an inferior cow born what she is, or is she made 

 by feed and management when young. The result of ex- 



