312 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



milk. This is a serious mistake, especially if the grain consists* 

 of corn or other starchy feed. Such feed as corn must be acted 

 upon by the saliva of the mouth in order to insure its proper di- 

 gestion. When the grain is fed with the milk the calf simpiy 

 gulps it down and does not masticate it in the least. In such 

 cases indigestion often follows. When the calf once begins to^ 

 eat grain readily, only such an amount should be given it as will 

 be cleaned up at each meal. Here again the appetite of the calf 

 is the best guide as to the amount of grain to feed. Usually the 

 calf will not eat over a half pound of grain per day for the first 

 two months. From this time until it is six months old a pound 

 of grain per day will be sufficient. 



It has been shown that skim milk is deficient in fat, and in 

 supplementing it one' must make good this deficiency. Grains 

 which contain a high percentage of carbohydrates may be substi- 

 tuted for the butter fat. Corn or kafir contain a high per cent of 

 this substance, and on account of their low cost in the corn belt 

 they are the logical grains to feed with the skim milk. Many 

 farmers and dairymen make the mistake of feeding linseed-oil 

 meal with skim milk, as the only grain ration fed. This mistake 

 is made on account of the idea that some have regarding the 

 composition of oil meal. Many assume that oil meal contains a 

 high per cent of oil, which will replace the fat that has been taken 

 out of the milk. Linseed-oil meal is valuable for feeding on ac- 

 count of the high content of protein. It does not contain a very 

 high per cent of oil. Oil meal may be fed in connection with corn, 

 but this is not entirely necessary, and it is very expensive. The 

 corn has invariably given the best results as a supplement to skim 

 milk. When teaching the calf to eat grain it is better to use corn' 

 chop. When the calf gets a little older shelled corn or kafir may 

 be fed. 



Hay should be kept before the calf after it is two weeks old. 

 At this age the calf will begin to nibble at the hay, and will soon 

 consume quite a little of it. The eating of hay should be encour- 

 aged by keeping nice, clean, bright hay within the reach of the 

 calf at all times. For young calves, mixed or prairie hay is bet- 

 ter than alfalfa or clover. The latter are usually too laxative 



