102 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
March* 
Management of Young Calves. 
Every one who has spent a single season in the coun¬ 
try must be familiar with that peculiar rural music, the 
bellowing of a discontented young calf—a music not of 
the most agreeable sort, indicating as it does, that the 
little fellow is “ ill at ease’ 7 in some way or other. It is 
worth while to inquire into the cause of this discontent, 
for a young animal cannot be expected to stand and bawl 
for two hours together, without wasting, through such an 
amount of breath, noise, and effort, a considerable por¬ 
tion of flesh, to say nothing of the real physical suffering 
which must cause these incessant complaints. We can¬ 
not but think that calves generally are doomed to a posi¬ 
tion too much like that of young children,—that is, they 
are regarded as too small and insignificant a race of ani¬ 
mals to merit much attention from grown-up persons 
with wise heads. For as children are not unfrequently 
kept in the nursery under the care of those who would 
not be entrusted with the care of monied concerns,—or 
sent to school, to have their new-born intellects moulded 
by “ the cheap schoolmaster/’ whom their parents would 
not suffer to have charge even of a favorite horse,—so in 
like manner young calves are shut up or tied up in some 
comfortless out-house, where they receive a few minutes 
attention in feeding, twice in the space of twenty-four 
hours. It may be useful to examine a little in detail the 
proper mode of treating them, as they are to constitute 
the future millions of the cattle of our country. 
Nature points out most distinctly that the young ani¬ 
mal must at first be allowed to thrive only on the rich 
nutriment furnished by the fresh milk of the cow. The 
practice of separating the two wholly and at once, is un¬ 
natural and severe. The best mode undoubtedly is to 
give new milk for at least two weeks, and some excellent 
managers prolong this period to a month, the calf suck¬ 
ing the cow at regular and stated times. When this 
period terminates, and a change of food is about to be 
made, let this change in all cases be gradual, for sudden 
transitions are always attended with more or less hazard 
or loss; for a single check in advancing growth, is like a 
check in the growth of a young apple tree, or transplanted 
tomato plant,—not quickly got over. As soon as the 
calf has learned to drink new milk, (which is done by 
drawing its mouth into the vessel while sucking the finger .) 
let a small portion of warmed skim-milk be added; this 
may be daily increassd until in two or three weeks more 
the whole food becomes skimmed milk. It will not be 
long after this, that eating solid food may be commenced. 
This is sometimes taught by suspending within reach a 
piece of fine hay tied together with a string, which the 
calf begins upon by sucking, and afterwards by eating the 
small portions that become detached. 
For the sake of economy, it becomes desirable to dis¬ 
continue gradually the milk. At first, flour porridge is 
one of the best things that can be given. The mode of 
preparing it, is not unlike that for painter’s paste; that is, 
let a pint of flour be mixed with water, in such propor¬ 
tions as to form it into a consistency of thick cream. Then 
add gradually small portions of boiling water, stirring it 
to prevent the formation of lumps, until about two gal¬ 
lons have been added. Then apply heat enough to coagu¬ 
late the whole mass into a thick nutritious porridge. 
When first given to the calf, it should be made by mixing 
with the water, considerable portions of skimmed milk, 
which is afterwards gradually lessened in quantity till 
none is used. This mode of cooking the flour, instead 
of mixing it cold, not only makes more agreeable food, 
but greatly increases its nutritive effects. After a short 
time, cornel or fine “middlings,” may be substituted for 
flour, over which they possess some advantages in the 
quantity of gluten or muscle-forming elements they con¬ 
tain, as well as in cheapness. Bean meal has been pro¬ 
posed as the best means of restoring the casein of the 
milk, but we need experiments on its value. 
As soon as fresh pasture is at hand, and milk is with¬ 
held, calves soon learn to feed upon grass; hut he who 
; expects to see fine, thriving, vigorous, square bodied 
; young animals, must continue also the artificial food just 
described for a long period; and especially the first winter 
must not be a season of neglect. 
A correspondent of this journal described some years 
; since, an effectual mode of weaning calves without per¬ 
manent separation from the cow, and obviating the mel¬ 
ancholy lowing of the cow and the incessant bleating of 
the calf, usually for a long time attendant on this process. 
As soon as the young animal has learned to eat and drink, 
he is furnished with a leathern halter-head, through the 
nose-piece of which are driven eight or ten well sharpened 
ten-penny nails, pointing outwards. The cow and calf 
are then brought together, aud he makes a plunge for 
the inviting udder; hut the moment she feels the sudden 
impact of this strange chevaux-de-frise, she wheels quick¬ 
ly about, and informs the little fellow that such pointed 
jokes will never answer*, and after a few unsuccessful at¬ 
tempts he is compelled to give up the chase. In the 
course of a week, if both run together, all danger is at 
an end, and no subsequent arrangement is required for 
separate pastures or separate yards. Ten-penny nails 
are the shortest that will answer for the successful appli¬ 
cation of this treatment. 
No argument is needed for the intelligent reader, to 
prove how much better a clean, comfortable and well 
littered place of rest is, than one thajt is dirty, offensive, 
! and comfortless; nor how much better it is to allow some 
little exercise to bring the growing muscles into play and 
healthful groivth, than by tying him fast to prevent all 
movement of his limbs, like the prisoner in his cell; nor 
to show the vital importance of regularity in meals, even 
to a minute of time, in order to avoid the fretting and 
waste of flesh inevitably incident to “ hope deferred,” 
when feeding time has arrived, and which all animals 
measure with great exactness by their alimentary chro¬ 
nometer. 
There is one other important item in their treatment, 
which is very commonly left out in practice. This is, 
•feeding often, and in small quantities at a time. We 
know many pretty good farmers, who after having al¬ 
lowed their calves to distend themselves freely about 
sunrise, compel them to fast fourteen hours before another 
meal is given at sunset. The result is, they spend from 
two to four hours as the evening approaches, in incessant 
and pitiful bawling, in obedience to the gnaivings of a 
hungry stomach. What would be thought of the man 
