The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-05-07
From III y. T.. Farmer.
MANAGEMENT or cows AFTER
CALyiNE.

Mn EDIToR--l lately attended meeting of Al
agricultural society, where remarks were made OF
The management of cows after calying The qucs
tons presented for consideration were the follow,
Ing;
ls Is it advantageous to let cows drink the bes
ings or Che first miiN after calNmg'
I'd, Is it beneficial or detrimental 10 have COW,
cat the ufcrhirlh?
81, When tie secuudne adhcrcs, and nature /.
ohsructed in her operations, can any thing be Civ
en- 10 the cow 10 remove II
On the above questions the members of the soci-
oly differed in opinions, as people do on all qucs
| tioGs and sUhG'is, A. the questions believe are
important, wish, Mr. Editor, you would give your
opinion, or any Of your correspondents.
BGij0rO' a ilEARDsMAN.
In reply to the frs, of these questions we find
nothing to communicate. One fact, however, i,
Obvious. Nature having designed the milk for the
offspring, i il unnatural food Tor the mother.
In reply to the other inquiries, we eNlrac, the fol-
/ lowing from loua,t's Treatise on Cattle-pagos
! 5li and ):
/ " .qHca'iop after Cllriag.-Pnruri,ion having
been accomplished, the COW should BE- left quietly
with the cali; and licking and cleaning of which,
and the eating of the pacenln il II so discouraged
will employ aud amusc her. 1t is n cruel thing 10
separate the mother from the Young 50 soon; the
COW will pine, aud will be deprived Of that medi-
enc which nature designed for her in the moisture
which hangs about the calf and even in the plac-
cnia itself and the calf will lose that gentle friction
aud motion which helps to give ii the immediate
usa of all its limbs, and which, in the language OF
Mr. Berry, " increases the unguid circulation ofhe
blood, aud produces genial warmth in the hail
exhausted and chilled little animal" A warm
mash should be pnt before hor, and warm Cruel or
water from which some Of the coIdness had been
taken of. Two or three hours afterwards, il will
be prudent 10 give an aperenI drink consisting of Il
pound Of Epson salts aud two drachus of ginger.
This may tend TO prevent milk fever aud gargc in
the uddar Attention should likewise be paid to
the state Of the udder. If the ,eals are sore, and
the bag ganeally hard and tender, she should be
gently and carefully MIXED three or four times
every day. The natural and ehectual preventive
f;his, however, is 70 let the calf suck her at least
three times in the day if it is tied up in the cow
house, or 10 run with her in the pasture, and take
The teat when il ploases. The tendency to inflam-
nation OF the udder is much diminished by the calf
frequently sucking; or should the COW he leyersh,
ns'hns sOolhcs or Quois her so much as the pres
tnce Of the little one.
" Tie Cie1psi1g.-T p'aceniu, or at1er-jirih
or cleansing, should be discharged soon after the
calylng 1t soon begins 10 act upon the uterus as
foreign body. producing irritation and fever; II
likewise rapidly becomes putrd and nclsonie, and
if it is then retained long il is either an indication
Of the weekly state of the COW, or i, may produce
certain degree Of low fever that will interfere
with her condition. Every cOwleech therefore has
hs cleansing drink ready administer :bui it is too
often composed Of stimulating and injurious drugs.
aud which lay the foundation for after disease
The aparirnl drink recommended TO be given after
rllyng. with the addition of hqlra pint of good ale
10 it; will BIZ the hest assistant in this case and the
only thing that should - allowed
Should the caans'n. continue IN he retained
some have recommended that weight Of six or
eight ounces should be tied 10 h. ord. ;hp gentle
and continual action 81 '.hsh wii usually separate
the placenta from lis ad'asi1ns, without any rik Of
hainorrngc; bot If the after birth should still remain
in the woalb, and decomposition should evidently
commence, the hand must be introduced into the
passage, and separation accomplished as gently us
possible.
"Thcre is. however, a great deal more fear
about this retention Of the afer-birlh than there
needs 10 be. and it is only the ac,ural appearance
of Inconvenience or disease resulting fiom it, that
world Justify nnechanrcal attempt TO extract r."