OCR Text |
Show Expert Gives Plan For Putting Fat On Exhibit Stock By HARRY H. SMITH Extension Animal Husbandman Fattening calf for a show is a more difficult task than fattening fat-tening an older animai as the young calf has a strong tendency to grow instead of putting on weight. The principal mistake made in getting calves ready for showing is that feeding is not begun early enough. Calves which are of good type and quick maturing are much easier to prepare for showing show-ing than the larger, rough, more rugged animal. In most cases it is necessarw to wean the calf at the time of purchase. The calf should then be started on grain if this has not been done before weaning. When feeding it is necessary to watch the animal and see that his eye is bright, his hair glossy, and his hide loose and pliable. The absence of these characteristics characteris-tics shows that the animal is not thriving. Digestive disorders are indicated by bloating and scouring. scour-ing. The skillful feeder watches the droppings of the calf to see that the digestive functions are being carried out properly. The calf should be given a large amount of concentrated feed because be-cause the digestive system of the calf i? not well enough developed to consume large amounts of rouhage. It may sometimes be necessary to limit the hay, also. Some molasses added to the grain may induce the calf to eat more. Cats are a good grain to start calves on, but after a month the amount shoud be reduced to only 15 or 20 percent of the grain fed. Oats are not a fattening feed but when used with barley or wheat they will help to prevent pre-vent bloat. Dry beet pulp is a good fattening fatten-ing feed and worth as much as barley when it composes less than half of the concentrate part of the ration, but it generally is too high priced to be economical, nevertheless, 15 or 20 percent should be used if oats are available. avail-able. Pulp has a higher feeding value than oats and will help to prevent bloat. Home-grown corn may be used in place of barley, but wheat has a higher feeding value than either corn or barley and may be used in combination with them. |