Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-10-12
Grant County 6eraIo
Prevention of Disease in Cattle.

We may safely assert, that in
large portion Of the country, our
neat stock are far less prone to dis
eases, plaques, and malignant disor-
ders, than the cattle of any part of
Europe, altogether our climates,
from North to South, are subject to
greater extremities of heat and cold,
than the European continent, Yet,
we do have diseases of many charact-
ers and tendencies, sometimes diff
cult to understand, but most Of them
have proved manageable with proper
forethought and fair treatment. On
the whole, our American cattle, may,
in general, be called healthy, and IL
able to comparatively few diseases.
1t is an old and true adage. that
"an ounce of prevention is better
than a pound Of cure" So then, he
who properly cares for his stock from
their birth onward, will be visited
with few disorders in his herd, and
these with due precaution, and time
ly looking after, in most cases, may
be safely controlled. G0oU shelter,
proper food, pure l0afer and timely care,
will, in most instances, keep herds in
good health-extraordinaries except
ed. We have known farmers, with
large herds, who scarce ever had a
diseased animal. We have known
others equally well situated, so far
as the opportunity Of keeping and
caring for them was concerned, who
were always afflicted with sickIy cat
tie. They died, annually, with MUIR
rain, or some other malady, solely
arising from poverty, exposure, bad
food, or neglect and the wonder of
this latter class continually was
"what allied their cattle"
The habits of all domestic animals
are exceedingly simple. Their nat
ural tastes are so; their necessary food
is so; and their anatomical and in
ternai organs are such as to dispose
OF their food and drink to the due
nourishment Of their systems, with
out much if any, artificial help. So
then, that if their food be regular and
sufficient, nature may safely be left
to its own course, in the great ma
.jority of cases, with safe result
No farmer should ever bring crea-
ture on to his place having conta-
gious disease, or permit one to re-
main there, either in the company,
or,within the.sympathies of other cat
tie. We once bought fine blooded
COW, diseased with sort Of scrofula,
or consumption-some might call it
an incipidht murrain-and we lost,
not only her, but at least half a
dozen other COWS and heifers, by the
contagion, before we got rid Of it,
That experiment taught us a lesson.
We never bought a diseased animal
if we know it. Better knock it in
the head at once, than to expose the
other stock on the farm to contagion
Of any sort. Accidents have some
times occurred, as under almost all
circumstances they will occur, and
not always to be provided against
and so will, sometimes, diseases as
milk fever, ard other ailments Incl
dent to their condition, which must
be properly looked after; but with
due precaution they seldom occur
under proper management Of the
herd. We do not say that all such
diseases or ailments can be cured
for with the best and ablest treat
ment they sometimes prove fatal
yet with due care they may in 3
majority Of cases, be relieved
Aliens american cattle.