Rearing of Calves. 
143 
Castration is p^enerally performed when the calf is from three 
to six weeks old. The former of these ages we consider pre- 
niend him not to let liis calves have more than three pints of milk ])er day lor the 
first four days, and not more tlian four pints until they are a month old. I wean 
from 30 to 40 every year, and never lose one from scouring. If they show the 
least symptom of scouring I always give Day's Gaseous Fluid, which is a 
certain cure if taken in time." Wliile the next says, "If 'An Old Subscriber ' 
will discontinue feeding his cows on the mangolds, and give his calves one table- 
spoonful of bruised grains of Paradise and one lablespoonfnl of starch simmered 
in a quart of new milk, and repeat it two or three times if necessary, 1 have no 
doubt the effect will be satisfactory." Another gentleman recommends food 
rather than medicine to be looked to : — " I would advise to double the quantity 
of cake and meal given to the cows, and withhold the mangold ; on no occasion 
should this root be given to cows suckling young calves." "An Old Dairymaid," 
also, " who superintends the rearing of about oO valuable calves yearly, seldom 
losing one of them, wishes to give ' An Old Subscriber' advice how to prevent 
scour in calves. As soon, then, as the calf is born she recommends about a pint 
or a pint and half of beastings from the dam to be given to it, by means of a small 
horn, out of wliicli the calf will usually suck it. All the remaining beastings 
•which can be milked from the cow shonld be drawn from her, as she will naturally 
retain quite enough, and often more than sufficient, for the support of her offspring. 
As soon as the calf is strong enough to stand, it should be induced to suck, taking 
care that as small a quantity as possible be left in the bag. ' An Old Subscriber' 
should treat the animals the reverse of what he does, viz., the calves should not 
be allowed their fill of milk till they are at least a week old ; but should scouring 
take place about the time named, which is not at all unusual even with this 
treatment, it will make them disinclined to move about and to seek for the teat, 
and they are, no doubt, often lost for the want of a little milk being given to 
them. If, however, the scouring continues, about three large tablespoon fuls of 
linseed-oil should be administered, and, if this does not have the desired effect, 
give milk from another cow, but by no means use drugs of any kind, as ' An Old 
Dairymaid' considers the best remedy is good nursing, and that want of proper 
attention to them while so very young is often the cause of scour in calves." 
We may be excused adding to the length of this note by giving the reply which 
we penned in answer to the same inquiry : — 
" Remedies for the above ailment are often local and empirical ; it is far better 
to treat it constitutiouall)'. lu short, ' remove the cause, and the effect will 
cease.' But unfortunately several details are wanting from which to form a 
judgment, or make a profitable suggestion. Diarrhcea in calves may, and often 
does, arise from very diverse and frequently what may be called trivial causes ; 
these causes, as operating on the little animal, are either external or internal. 
If the former, we should be disposed closely to examine the feeding of the cows, 
and to put a few queries respecting the same. For instance — Are the mangolds 
carefully cleaned? Adhering soil tends to scour the cows in a moderate degree, 
and of course the action is much more serious on the calf. It so happens that the 
complaint from which ' An Old Subscriber' sutlers has this season been parti- 
cularly prevalent, from the very fact indicated. The small mangold-roots of 
1860 have been much more difficult to clean, and have consequently carried more 
soil with them to the feeding-troughs than in the average of seasons. Their use 
should cease entirely with those cows that are suckling, unless this has been 
already done. 
" Again : Is the cake a genuine article ? How has it affected the fatting beasts ? 
Is there no irritant contained in it? And what kind of meal is referred to — that 
of barley or beans ? We should very heartily urge the use of the latter in pre- 
ference to the former for nursing cows. 
"Again: Do the calves suck their own mothers? A mistake is often com- 
mitted in putting a young calf to a cow which has been some months in milk. 
This should not be done before the calf is a fortnight old, and even then with 
much caution. 
" As to external causes of diarrhcea, a close, ill-ventiLited, dirty, or damp calf- 
