The rearing of DAIRY CALVES By DIXON WRIGHT Supervisor, Department of Maori Affairs The selection and rearing of calves is something which, in many cases, is not given the thought, care and attention needed. There is much personal satisfaction in having reared good healthy calves which will improve or at least maintain the standard of the herd. The potential maximum production of the cow is determined by the qualities inherited by the calf. The actual production is influenced by the way the calf is reared.

Importance of First Week: The calf should be left long enough with the mother to obtain a good drink and the disturbance will be less if removed within twelve hours. The calf should be taught to drink from the bucket and the colostrum, or mother milk, fed for the first few days. It is a laxative and provides Vitamin A and the antibodies against disease causing bacteria.

Amount to Feed Daily: It is important that calves must be fed according to their size and strength. Over-feeding must be avoided in the first few weeks and there is no doubt that it is the primary cause of scours. About 10% of the calf's body weight is the right amount to feed daily, but this is not reached until the end of the first week. Birth weights vary from 55 lbs. with Jerseys to 85 lbs. with Friesians. A 70 lb. calf should be fed not more than 5 to 6 pints daily for the first week and gradually increase until it is receiving about one gallon per day at three weeks.

Feeding Methods: Twice daily feeding is the most practical and satisfactory. Calf scours is more likely to occur when the milk is too rich and the adding of water to milk with high butterfat content is recommended before feeding. It results in a softer and more easily digested curd in the stomach. For example, two pints of water per gallon would be added to milk with a 4.5 test. Best results will be obtained from rearing calves on either whole milk or skim milk after a period on whole milk. Where whole milk is used to rear calves, the period of feeding can be shortened and the calves weaned at eight to ten weeks depending on their size and whether or not they have been and will continue to be rotationally grazed on first class pasture. Where skim milk is to be used for rearing calves, whole milk should be fed for at least a fortnight and the weaker calves up to three weeks. The changeover from whole milk to skim milk should be done gradually over a period of three weeks. The only difference between whole milk and skim milk is in the fat content. The deficiency must be made up, either by providing good pasture or by using cereal meals, e.g. barley, meal, meatmeal, maise meal, etc. The meal is best given dry in a container after milk is fed. Not more than one and a half gallons of skim milk is needed daily. Over-feeding will cause unthriftiness and potbellied condition.

Early Grazing is Desirable: By the end of the third week grazing becomes an important feature in successful calf rearing. The earlier calves can be allowed out for grazing the better, providing the grazing is on short leafy pasture. Even in the first two or three weeks a rotational system can be often adopted by the sub-division of a spelled calf paddock handy to the shed. Do not set graze calves. Calves are very selective grazers and rotational grazing of young calves ahead of the dairy herd even while still being fed milk ensures maximum growth and their greatest chance of avoiding calf diseases and parasites. * * *

VACCINATE REGULARLY In the vaccination of heifer calves against contagious abortion, or brucellosis, many farmers are not using the vaccine as much as they could, states the Department of Agriculture. There appears to be a tendency to use the vaccine on each crop of calves for a few years and then, because little trouble has been experienced during those years, to become apathetic about its use. During the years when the vaccine is not used outbreaks of contagious abortion are liable to occur, with serious results. The vaccine should be used year after year on each crop of calves, so that immunity may be established in all animals in the herd as they reach maturity to protect them during their subsequent breeding lifetime in the herd.