Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 194, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 August 1916 — PROPER METHODS OF FEEDING CALVES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PROPER METHODS OF FEEDING CALVES

Lack of knowledge of proper methods of feeding calves on the part of many farmers is the cause of heavy losses, asserts O. E. Reed, professor of dairy husbandry in the Kansas state agricultural college. The importance of knowing the best practices in feeding cannot be overestimated. “The proper time for taking the calf from its mother depends upon the condition of the calf and its mother at the time of calving,” says Professor Reed. “If the calf is strong It may be taken away immediately without being allowed to nurse. It Is easier to teach the calf to drink from the pail if It is taken from the mother at this ime. “If the calf Is weak at birth, or if the udder of the cow is inflamed or caked, It is a better practice to allow it to remain with its mother for several days. In case the calf is taken from its mother immediately it should receive her first milk. The milk at this time contains a high proportion of protein and ash, which act as a laxative and tonic and are effective in cleaning out the digestive tract and stimulating the digestive organs. “In some cases it is not safe to feed a calf the milk from its mother after the first few days, milk of the cows belonging to the high testing breeds Is often too rich in fat for the young calf, and should be diluted with skim milk, or else milk from some other cow should be fed. _ “The quantity of milk to feed the calf at this time Is Important. Under natural conditions the calf gets its milk often and in small quantities, and the more closely nature is Imitated the greater the success. “The calf of average size should receive about eight pounds of whole milk a day at first Large calves should be fed more than this amount. The milk may be fed in two feeds —night and morning—or better results may be obtained by feeding three times a day. As the calf grows older the amount should be gradually increased. The best guide as to the amount which

should be fed is the calf’s appetite. It should be fed sufficiently, but never overfed, and it is a good practice to keep the calf a little hungry. The animal should take the last milk from the pail with the same relish that it takes the first.” The time to change the calf from whole milk to skim milk will depend largely upon the development of the calf, points out Professor Reed. If it is strong and well developed, it may be changed ,to skim milk at the end of the second week. This change should be made gradually by substituting a small quantity of skim milk for whole milk in the daily ration. A week or ten days should be taken for the change. Care should always be taken to have the milk warm and sweet Especially is this important in feeding the young calf. As the calf grows older cooler milk will do just as well if it is fed at the same temperature every day. The right temperature for the milk is blood heat —100 degrees. There is no way by which the digestive system of the young calf can be upset more easily than by feeding cold milk at one meal and warm milk the next. If there is any donbt about the temperature, a thermometer should be used, according to Professor Reed. Judging the temperature of milk by putting the finger into it is not satisfactory, because milk will feel warmer on some days than on others. It is also Important to feed milk sweet because one feed of sour milk may upset the digestive system of the young calf for months, or may even cause death. The calves should by all means be kept In clean, well-lighted and well-ven-tilated stables. The palls from Which the milk is fed should be kept as clean as possible. Clean, fresh water should be provided at all times. Many feeders assume that the calf does not need water on account of drinking milk but it will consume a large amount of water even after drinking 15 or 20 pounds of skim milk a day.

Calves Fed in Stanchions Cannot Steal Neighbor’s Portion—Habit of Sucking Each Other’s Ears Is Also Avoided.