The Beef Calf. 



9 



at about 3 or 4 months of age. He should be kept with other bull 

 calves or older cattle for company except at feeding time. The calf 

 should then have a separate stall or pen. The stall or pen should be 

 so arranged that the calf may see other calves or cattle to keep it 

 from fretting when alone. 



The stall should be kept clean and dry at all times. If the ground 

 in or about the stall is low and wet, broken stone should be used to 

 raise it to keep it dry. Small stones or gravel or preferably clay 

 should be put on top and firmly packed down. Use plenty of straw, 

 leaves, shavings, or other litter for bedding, so that the calf may be 

 induced to lie down a large part of the time. A calf will not thrive 

 and do well if made to sleep on a damp, foul-smelling bed. If the 



Fig. 4. — A rouiKl-up of beef calves at a county calf-club show. 



lot where the calf takes its exercise in winter is wet and muddy, the 

 water should be drained off through ditches or otherwise disposed of. 



The feed manger for the hay and silage should be convenient and 

 large enough to hold all the feed given, so that it will not be crowded 

 out and wasted. The manger should have a tight bottom to hold 

 the small particles of hay, especially the leaves, as they are the most 

 valuable part. The feed box for grain needs to have a tight bottom 

 and be large enough to prevent loss Avhile the calf is eating. If 

 some of the feed is lost, the cost of gains in weight will be greatly 

 increased. The appearance of the calf usually reflects any negli- 

 gence on the part of the owner. 



If the calf is watered from a trough or a stream, the place should 

 be kept clean. Do not allow mud to accumulate about the approach 

 to it. The overflow water from the trough should be drained to 

 182669°— 20 2 



