320 Management of Devon Cattle. 
veniently noticed in this section. In such herds the manager’s 
efforts are constantly directed to the “education” of young 
animals, his object being to get them as well forward as he can 
in condition. The calf must come into the world as early as 
passible in the year. Every day of January is precious time ; 
every day lost is so much time given away to the enemy, because 
the ages of animals at the principal shows are reckoned from the 
birthday of the year. Against an animal calved on January 1, 
one calved on December 31 following would have to 
compete ; and the judges, whilst making fair allowance for 
differences of age, are not bound to foresee precisely 7 the progress 
of an animal during the next twelve months. The younger 
animal may improve vastly in that time, and at the end of it 
stand far ahead of its present older rival ; on the other hand, it 
may grow worse instead of better. When there is nearly a whole 
year’s difference between the two, the younger must have 
immensely superior merit to beat the older, and each month, 
week, and day of course affects its chance of winning. 
The calf, usually, is allowed to remain with its dam for a 
few days, and then put in the calf-pen and brought to her twice 
daily. The suckling period commonly extends over three or 
four months ; but if, as the calf grows, it shows pi'omise of 
distinguished excellence, it is allowed to have milk as long as it 
will, and is not limited to one cow. Some calves are success- 
fully reared by hand for exhibition ; and some breeders prefer 
this method for bull calves, not that it is better for the calves, 
but that it is decidedly better for the cows, which often get 
much knocked about when the young bulls, no longer infants, 
put their masculine strength into the calf's instinctive butting 
as it sucks. Breeders generally, however, hold that there is 
nothing like milk received through the natural process of suck- 
ing for giving what is termed “ bloom ” to the calf. In the 
notes which follow, the different views and consequently varying 
practice of breeders upon this question will be noticed, especially 
one breeder’s opinion that “live” milk, whether directly from 
the cow or from the pail, is essential to the maintenance of the 
calf s “ bloomy ” appearance. 
The calves of both sexes have hay and sliced roots with a 
little corn as soon as they will eat them. The crowding of 
calves should be avoided, and plenty of exercise and fresh air 
are necessary to their thorough well-doing, whether the calves 
be intended for exhibition or for breeding purposes only. 
Unless the blood be duly charged with oxygen through the 
lungs, perfectly healthy growth is obviously impossible, the vital 
powers are impaired, and the result must be injurious to the 
