642 Report on the Farm-Prize Competition o/'1886. 
and 1 ounce of ginger in beer ; and this is repeated two or 
three days before she is likely to calve. 
After calving, 3 ounces of sulphur, 2 ounces of nitre, and the 
yolk of an egg, mixed in strong beer, are given, and as much 
bran-gruel as she wishes to drink, say \ peck of fresh bran put 
into a pail, and well scalded, and cold water then added to the 
brim. More than one cow Mr. Bayly has known to have been 
killed by repeated heavy bran-mashes. 
Liberal applications of carbolised oil, composed of one part 
of No. 1 carbolic acid, and seven parts of olive-oil, are made by 
the syringe to the injured parts of cows which have had a hard 
time in calving, or which calve in hot weather. 
In cases of milk-fever, which he finds cannot be altogether 
prevented amongst heavy-milking cows, their first endeavour is 
to open, and keep open, the bowels ; oil, treacle, Sutton's 
drench, salts, &c., are used for this purpose. Then a free 
administration of stimulants, old ale and whiskey, a bottle of 
each to begin with is not too much. The first case they had at 
Hardingham, now some years ago, for which spirits were given, 
was a very bad one, the cow having been down some time, and 
had been given up by the veterinary. Repeated doses of 
brandy, J a pint every two hours, were administered, until she 
had taken 14J pints in 29 doses, when she rose, recovered, and 
afterwards did well. 
Rearing of Calves. — Calves are allowed to be with their dams 
for four meals after birth, and are then taken off and given new 
milk for ten days. The new milk is gradually reduced from that 
time, and Ayre's calf-meal mixed with boiling water is substituted 
in such increasing quantities that by the end of twenty-one 
days the substitution is complete, and the animal is wholly 
on the meal and water mixture, which is continued until it can 
eat well other nutritious food. Bran and oatmeal are found to 
be the most wholesome and suitable food for calves under six 
months old. A bunch of sweet hay is placed in a net to amuse 
the calf and teach it to eat, and each one has a separate pen 
with a small manger for some time after it has left off the meal 
and water mixture, to prevent the sucking propensities which, 
at this stage of existence, they have a craving for, if placed 
two together. It is Messrs. Bayly's experience that calves usually 
do better without any water to drink until after the meal and 
water mixture has been discontinued. 
Plenty of air above head, a clean bed of wheat-straw, and a 
free application of the whitening-brush are essentials conducive 
to the maintenance of health in the calf-house. 
Before leaving the live-stock we may note Messrs. Bayly's 
peculiar mode of poultry management. Instead of the lowls 
