CALF FEEDING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1308, 11 December 1911, Page 8

CALF FEEDING.

INTERESTING- AMERICAN VIEWS. The following extract is taken from au address given by . l-\ H. .Scribneri Wisconsin, boi'oro Hip eisliicciitli annual meftin? of tho Washington State Dairymen's Association:—"Nature has provided something in the first milk that is very essential. in getting. ■ tho .calf's digostivo machinery started right, and I think it should be permitted to have it. Wo usually leave tho calf with tho cow a cbuplo* of days until it in nicely straightened up, then comes the most important time in the life, of the calf, when we tako upon ourselves its ford and care; and bere is where we want to exercise a lot of kindness and gentleness, for if you are impatient and rough in your treatment with' them-they will distrust and fear you, and the chances are they never will forget those first lessons and impressions; A. c,ow. never will do her best unless tho has perfect confidence in you. 1 '-'It is an old saying that you can catch more flies with molasses than with vinegar; so you can do more by coaxing than driving. • When-teaching the calf to drink, don't push its head into the pail; wot. ; your fingers in the milk and let it. suck, and coax its head into the pail, and usually the second or- third time it will drink of its own accord.

'"These nre threp essentials at this time: The quantity- of -milk, the ■ temperature, and quality. Calves are injured more by not observing- carefully these rules for the first few weeks ot. their' lives than niiy other way. Xtthis age their little stomachs are.not strong, arid a little care exorcised at this time often means the difference' between-an-'unprofitable-and a profitable, animal. •• • ■ •• " "The amount of feed at this time-will depend largely on the calf and eom* what on the nature of tho'milk. This amount must bo determined by .the feeder, but this precaution is always advisablebetter to begin carefully and work, up to what thev can handle, rather than to begin with a large aiiiotiiit and get them off their feet and then have to commence all over agaiii.. '-.■''.' ■ ;' "The amount to be fed should' not be dctermiyed by guesswork, but by actual weighing or measuring, for-1 find it to easy to over-estimate.

' "No artificial heating of milk is so good as the natural animal heat, which is about one hundred deforces, and try to retain this temperature as uear as possible. The mother also furnishes the milk in a sanitary condition, and we should try to follow her example in thi? respect and sec that the pails are kept' in a cleanly condition. "Wo also notice thiit quite early in life the calf will begin chewing on something, possibly a straw or piece of hay. Now is the time to educate it to eat aiK nnd a few. minutes in getting its head into a basin or box is time well spent. Oats are nourishing and invigorating, and the chewing process has a tendency to start the ealiva, which, when mixed "with tho gastric juices of the stomach, makes the digestion easier nnd more complete. A little nice clover hay should be reserved for them, and when they are nicely started on these, then skim-milk cau be substituted for whole milk; but when changing over, iiinkc tlie change gradually, by taking out a little w'.tole milk and substituting skim iu its place. i till' l thc whole milk has been changed over, possibly requiring a week's time."