FIFTIETH ANNUAL CONVENTION 133 



Separation of Cow and Calf. 



Although there are excellent reasons for the common 

 practice of promptly removing the newborn calf from its 

 dam, it is sometimes advantageous to leave them together. 

 The cow often comes to her milk more naturally and easily 

 with the calf present. The calf discovering its own appe- 

 tite and then the maternal fount at which it is to be satis- 

 fied, begins punching and bunting the udder in a manner 

 well calculated to stimulate the flow of milk and at the 

 same time "break up" the congestion of the organ. Possi- 

 bly many a case of mammitis in fresh cows might have been 

 avoided had the calf been left beside its dam until the udder 

 was well "broken up." 



Vices. 



Some calves acquire the habit of sucking the udders of 

 other calves, a prank which should never be tolerated, de- 

 spite the apparent harmlessness of it. The possibility of 

 damage is twofold. In the first place it tends to the forma- 

 tion of an ill-shaped and pendulous udder, and hence may 

 seriously detract from the beauty and value of the animal 

 in after life. Furthermore, there is the danger that the 

 heifer, especially if of well-bred dairy stock, may become 

 stimulated to a virgin milk secretion, In the course of 

 events this milk secretion, the presence of which is not sus- 

 pected, may be left to dry up of its own accord, without the 

 necessary care on the part of the owner, with a ruined 

 udder as the possible result. This fact may, indeed, ac- 

 count for many of the cases of hardened udder, reported 

 among virgin heifers, since the description of that condi- 

 tion is strongly suggestive of chronic garget of adult cows. 

 To overcome the vice the milk ration of calves may be fol- 

 lowed by a handful of grain fed before they are turned out. 

 This tends to remove the desire to nurse. 



Cows sometimes acquire the habit of sucking their own 

 teats. While this practice may not harm the cows it is 

 unprofitable for the owner. 



There are several more or less effective ways of break- 

 ing cows of the habit of sucking their own udders or the 



