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Show mA trnw TflE iyf BUILDING FOR CALF IS BIG ESSENTIAL Economical commercial dairying demands de-mands that the dairy calves be raised by hand rather than by nursing their mother. This fact makes It necessary neces-sary to provide a place to keep the young calves while being fed milk, say Prof. J. P. LaMaster, chief of the dairy division, Cleinson college, who suggests that the essentials for such quarters are: (1) that they can be easily cleaned; (2) provided with an abundance of sunlight; (3) properly drained, so as to prevent any surface water from entering, or from becoming becom-ing damp from any cause; and (4) an arrangement which will permit the feeding and care of the calves with the least amount of labor In quarters quar-ters that give the calves enough room. Calves raised on skim milk In practically prac-tically every case develop the habit of sucking one another's ears, navels, na-vels, and udders Immediately after being fed milk. This habit often results re-sults In the udders being misshapen, or entirely blind In one or more quarters quar-ters when (he heifer comes In mil It. If this habit was limited to the period pe-riod Just after feeding milk, the difficulty diffi-culty could be overcome by keeping the calves In Rtanohlons for 30 minutes min-utes or more after euch feeding; but during the day, when the young calves become hungry, they will start sucking suck-ing again. To prevent this trouble each calf should have a small pen of Its own. This Is not as hard to provide as might seem. A long pen six or seven feet wide can be divided Into pens by placing plac-ing gates across at proper distances, depending on the number of culves on hand and the space available. To make It easy to get the calves In and out of the pens and to clean the pens, these gates may be fitted with a cord in the center which passes over a small pulley overhead, and with a weight attached on the other end heavy enough to balance the gate. This will allow the gate to be raised overhead out of the way when not needed. The gate should be fitted Intc grooves at each end formed by using a 2 by 4-lnch upright and 1 by S-Incti slats nailed on each side to form the slot. Such an arrangement Is inexpensive inex-pensive and makes a safe and convenient con-venient pen for young calves. |