FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 311 



meal and warm milk at another. If there is any doubt about the 

 temperature^ or if the milk has to be warmed at all, the ther- 

 mometer should be used. Judging the temperature of milk by 

 putting the finger into it is not satisfactor}^ Milk at 90° F. will 

 feel warmer on a cold morning than it will on a warm morning, 

 and the calf's digestive system is very sensitive to any change. 

 It is also important, to feed the milk sweet. One feed of sour 

 milk may upset the digestive system of the young calf for 

 months, and one feed of such milk often causes the death of the 

 calf. It is better to let the calf miss one or even two feeds than 

 to feed it on sour milk. 



Clean Pails Necessary. 



The pails from which the milk is fed should be kept as clean 

 as possible. They should be kept as clean as the milk utensils. 

 If any milk is left in them it will sour, and the calf will soon 

 show the effect. The pails should be thoroughly cleansed and; 

 steriHzed often. 



Length of Time To Feed Skim Milk. 



The length of time that the calf should be fed on skim milk 

 will depend upon the amount of skim milk available for this pur- 

 pose. Some feeders wean their calves at four months of age, 

 but it is a better practice to feed skim milk until the calves are 

 six months old. If one has an abundance of skim mjlk it is a 

 profitable practice to feed heifers until they are eight months or 

 a year old. This will insure a better growth and better develop- 

 ment. 



Feeding Grain and Hay. 



At the time the calf is changed from whole milk to skim 

 milk it will begin to eat grain. The best way to get the calf 

 started eating grain is by placing a little grain in its mouth after 

 it has consumed its milk. It will like the taste of grain, and will 

 soon eat without assistance if the grain is placed within its reach. 

 A great many feeders practice the feeding of grain with the 



