CALF-REARING

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 220, 14 August 1939, Page 1

CALF-REARING

ADVICE TO BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS \Yitli a view to assisting boys and girls taking part in this season’s calf rearing competition, organised by the Opotiki Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club, Mr. Geo. Kent, inspector of stock has prepared the following notes:— .Make arrangements to obtain a cal;' as soon as possible, as the’early call thrives much better than, the late one, and nsuajly comes out among the top ones in the competition, kick one from a good cow as there is a competition for dairy- type in addition to that- for condition. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to take the calf from the cow. Let it run with its mother for 24 or 'do hours to insure that it gets the iirst eo’iostrum hi il k winch is essential if the calf is to' become a thriving and healthy animal. Give new milk for at- least a fortnight and gradually change its skim milk by reducing tile new .milk and adding the equivalent of skim milk. .Feed the calf three times daily if possible- and not more than 2V to 3 lbs. lit' a feed far the first ten days or fortnight. You can increase the amount gradually until it receives from 16 to 20lbs. daily, hut lie guided by its appetite and don’t overfeed. When the change from the whole to the milk is made, give the c-alf a little concentrate in the form of three parts of crushed 1 oats, two of bran and two of linseed meal. Take a handful of this mixture and put in a bucket when the milk is finished and increase the amouiit to one pound or so when thecal f is seven or eight weeks old. Don’t keep your calf tied up too long, let it run in a good paddock and make a rug out of a sack for use at night and in laid weather, or better still, if a dry. airy slied is available the calf should be bedded down with hav. Draughts should be avoided. If signs of scouring appehr, reduce your milk by 60 per cent, or more ; give a dose of from two to four tablespoons of castor oil followed by half to a teaspoonful of veterinary cldorodinc in a cup of water twice daily until recovered.