THE COUNTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 142, 14 June 1912, Page 11

THE COUNTRY.

mtiSF FEEDING.

'gQ-tfS-D&OBTAST FEATURES

W subject of calf-feeding is one well of'closer investigation, and is ■JTwe-W}>W» might advantageously WUW& <jf Agriculture. Indeed, it even be said that viewed from ana considering tlw rtrwnpns development or tlie dairying (jLtrv there is no question or greater Stance/ and probably no subject which £0 much misconception The all-importance of constituS?to dairy stock cannot 'be too strongrLphasised. It stands to reason that L Hiorinoua output from a dairy cow if, fcjgit-class type makes exceptional tomoisro'i* the animal's (physical ecc-n- - produce all the milk ot hich she is capable means that she must L krofr'as fit as possible, large preparaSmof her food being available ior courereion intomilk. It is obvious that the Zn best- treatment will be of little avail X {be stamina is not there, and the jjanuai' must be principally built up rfien the animal is a growing calf. There ra innumerable cases on-record in which a«j of great capacity have- never bean tile to give milk for a lengthy period, Wat'» r 6wk s k°rt season milkers, eißigiotjie lack of the necessary, stam(Baji«ad it is not what a cow will give h threeOTlow months, but what she jjtt.prodnce in' a year, that is the deterpalling factor. ilhe-faet'-lo be kept prominently in few, especially in these days of the pppy-progressive advancement of dairy taSi, is the maintenance of- constitution, pui this certainly implies the proper feeding ;of the calf.' The old saying that "half Be- breeding goes down the mouth," tbooMflot 'be forgotten. However tolast: the parents may be, the progeny j2l apt have- the desired constitution ii toajestjated is their feed. Experi.ejtfhaS'amply demonstrated that it in SDt.gnffieent that the calf should be wall ba|e4 by liberally feeding with, wholo afllt/. for the first few days, but they (herald recejve the complete natural food Ibr a eouf>]e of weeks or more. Theratfter, the skim-milk, and especially the phey, should have added to them some eobstaiice equivalent to the nutritive poppjfiles of the butter-fat which has Ijaj'previously extracted. Possibly, it Siy-be affirmed by some persons of lim • Bed;«tperience that good healthy calves bye been produced on whey alone, par(aralsrly when this is pasteurised; ibut eillany of them challenge the assertion (list the animals •would not have turned irat better physically, and also as milkMOdricers. in their after-life, had they leek fed from the start on a ration with feeding and sustaining properties? low who have tried the experiment invariably had to admit thai; stintJ^'4 calf, the offspring of a milk record Bita,:is the poorest possible economy. Re result of the inadequate ration is Jtfjjways apparent to. the casual obBttir; -and, indeed, it is very often Bfcnlt to trace,. owing to the great inSn&aJ variation in dairy stock, bat it U! be taken for granted that the calf nlljtta±urea~freirrair£jranar.giyen every BppsrtS&fty to develop itoii' a vigorous ednltirin. if a. cow, produce mm.- with tie greatest economy, and, if a hull, will be better able to. beget efcrongly-eaasfci-tate<l ; stock. All animals repay proper Wing, .hut-no class of stock gives such »Bberal response- in after years for the are mcl attention besfcow-ed on it'in its JWt&.M ■■■