FEEDING OF CALVES.

Southland Times, Issue 19395, 8 November 1924, Page 12 (Supplement)

FEEDING OF CALVES.

SUBSTITUTES FOR MILK. When only a limited amount of new milk can be spared the following ration for calfrearing is suggested by the American Agricultural Experimental Farm at Beltsville:— Take 50 parts finely-ground maize, 15 parts linseed oil meal, 15 parts finely-ground rolled oats, 10 parts dried blood flower, 10 parts skim-milk powder, A part salt. Stir up with warm water, at the rate of lib. of the meal mixture to about 61b. .of water. Increase gradually as the whole milk is decreased, until at the time the calf is 50 days old it should be getting only the gruel. At this 14 to 21b. of the meal mixed with water will constitute a day’s feed. The total quantity of milk used is about 3001 b.; if less is fed the calves are likely to be unthrifty. The time at which calves can be put on milk substitutes alone depends upon the same factors as in the use of separated milk —namely, the breed, development, and vigour of the calves, etc. As a rule, it is hardly safe, even with the most vigorous ones, to attempt to put them on milk substitutes alone within one month after birth; and .with calves below normal vigour some milk for two months may be necessary to raise them. The folowing is suggested as a guide for feeding the above substitute to large, vigorous calves: — First ten days 101 b. of whole milk; second ten days, 81b. of milk and 0.41 b. of meal (mixed up in six times its weight of warm water) ; third ten days, 61b. milk and o.Blb. meal; fourth ten days, 21b. milk and 1.21 b meal; after 50 days, 21b. meal and no milk. Smaller and less vigorous calves should be fed somewhat less, and the milk feeding should be continued a little longer. In any event, a total of 300 lb. of milk should be sufficient. Grain and roughage should be fed with milk substitutes the same as the separated milk. Calves fed on the substitute, as stated above, have been subject to no more digestive troubles than skim-milk fed calves, and the gains in weight have not been materially less.