yio 



Calf-Rearing. 



[march, 



them in the fifth week, at which age they begin to chew the 

 cud. At the ninth week the mid-day milk is replaced by a good 

 handful of linseed cake (6 oz.), and the calves get a good drink 

 {five quarts) of separated milk morning and evening without 

 cream substitute. As they get older the hay and linseed 

 cake are gradually increased until in its fifth month the calves 

 get half a pound of linseed cake a day and eat about 5 lb. of 

 hay. A little crushed oats lb.) is now added to the cake, and 

 sliced swedes. At six months old milk may be discontinued 

 altogether, but gradually, the evening's milk being first 

 stopped ; in fact, all food -changes with calves should be 

 gradual. 



Calves born before March are turned out to grass as soon as 

 the weather is mild (June probably), but do not lie out at night 

 until hoar frosts are well at an end, and they continue to receive 

 their daily allowance of linseed cake and meal. Calves born in 

 the spring and summer months are not turned out that year, 

 experience having shown that these calves thrive much better 

 off the grass, escape that very troublesome calf disease — hoose, 

 and turn out better stores the following spring. Indoor calves 

 begin to receive green-meat, such as cut grass or vetches, in the 

 summer, and sliced swedes in the winter, when five months old ; 

 and their feeding during the second half of the first year simply 

 consists in foddering with hay and serving with cut swedes 

 morning and evening in steadily increasing quantities, giving 

 •cake and meal at mid-day up to 1 lb. of cake and J lb. of meal 

 per head at the age of from nine to twelve months, and letting 

 •out to water and exercise at 10 a.m. ; a lump of rock-salt lies 

 at each end of their trough for them to lick. Regularity of 

 feeding is a matter of prime importance in the management of 

 all kinds of cattle. 



The calf dietary for the first six months as above described 

 may be shortly tabulated as follows : — 



First week. — Its own mother's warm milk three times a day, 

 commencing with about a quart and increasing to 

 two quarts by the third day. 



Second week. — Two quarts of warm new milk (not necessarily 

 its own mother's) three times a day. 



