Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-02-18
8liseslla,asp,,s.
Treatment ofthe cow before and during
calying.

calying.
1t is an old and true saying, and the
truth of it is nowhere more evident
than in the treatment of the mich COW,
that the prevention of an evil is better
| than the cure. The difficulty of sca1ving,
and the mortality afterwards, are in
great measure to be traced to the improp-
er management of the cow. So far as
the udaer is concerned, there is plan
usaully adopted, and very necessary
one the COW is dried six or eight weeks
before calving. The reasons are given
for this: tine first is, that after long pc
Rod of milking, the strength and constitu-
| ton OF the COW require little respite
| more important reason, however, is, that
from some cause that has never been fully
explained, the mixture Of the old milk,
and the new secretion that nature pre-
pares for the expected calf. produces fire.
quently great irritation and Inflammation
in the udder, and obstinate garget Is apt
to ensue.
During the early period of CESSATION the
animal may, and should be, tolerably
well fed, for she has to provide milk for
the dairy and nourishment for the fHtus
yet even here there should be moderation
and care :'but when she is dried, her food
should be considerable diminished. She
| should not be too fat or full of blood at the
| time of calving, for that is the frequent
cause of difficult labour, garget, milk
fever, and death. There are few things
in which the farmer errs more than in
this. There may be an error in starving
her before she calves, but it is much
more dangerous one to bring her into too
high condition.
Some cows are apt to stink their calves,
or to produce them dead before their time.
This generally happens about the middle
OF their pregnancy. If about that time
COW is uneasy, feverish, off her food, or
wandering about in search of something
for which she seems to have longing, or
most greedily and ravenously devouring
some particular kind of food. she should
have warm bran mash and physicked;
Purging Dyink.-Take epson salts, one
pound powdered caraway- seeds, half. an
ounce. Dissolve in quart of warm Cruel,
and give.
If she is not quieted, she should be mash
ed and physicked again in the course of
three or four days. She should be imme-
diately removed from the other COWS for
should she stink her calf among them, it
is not improbable that some, or even all,
of the others will do the same. This is
not easily accounted for, but it is perfect
ly true. The cow that sinks her calf win
often require much attention. She should
always be physicked, and in some cases
bled, and, after that, the best thing to be
done with her is to fatten her for the
butcher; for she will probably do the
same again, and teach others the habit.
When the ninth calendar month is near
ly expired, the COW should be diligently
looked after. She should be brought as
near to the house as. can be conveniently
done; she should be well taken care OF,
especially if she is very poor; and she
should most certainly be well bed. 1t
will be better if she can be separated from
other cows; and although it may not be
prudent to house her entirely, there
should be some shed or shelter into
which she may go.
When it appears that labour is close at
hand she should be driven gently to the
cow-hOuse and for while left quite alone.
She will do better by herself than if she is
often disturbed by one and another look
however, she is discovered in the act of
calving in the barnyard, she should not
be moved, however exposed may be her
Gus to drive her even hundred yards.
If the COW has calved unseenland unat-
tended, she will, like every other quadru-
ped, set diligently to work to devour
the cleansing, and lick the newborn ami
NAL clean. This, however, is often care
fully prevented when there is the opportI-
nifty of SO doing. The calf is taken imme-
diately away, and the cleansing thrown
on the dung-heap. We act contrary to
nature in this She would not have given
to herbivorous animals this propensity to
eat the placenta, had not some useful pur-
pose been effected by it. Cleanliness was
one object, the next was either to support
the strength to the animal, or to have an
aperient or salutary influence on her. The
mother and young will be happier if they
are left TO pursue the dictate OF nature.
Many a COW has fretted herself into fatal
fever from the sudden loss of her little
one, and many calf has died from the
neglect of that cleanliness which the moth
er could best effect.
A great deal has been said of the neces-
sity of cleansing the cow after calving, or
the removal or expulsion of the placenta.
There is much error in this. The placenta
comes away with the calf; and it is that
natural discharge from the womb, con-
tinued during several days, and which is
observed to greater or less extent in all
quadrupeds, that gives the notion of any.
thing being retained. Medicine, never.
theless is necessary in order. to prevent
that access of fever to which, 0e COW in
high condition is liable; but that medicine
should be administered, not in the form
OF a stimulating, cordial, from the false
supposition that the animal want support
after the fatigue and pain it has under
gone, but in that of a purgative, in order
to prevent an attack of fever to which the
animal is so naturally exposed after partu-
rltion, and which is so often aggrava-
ted by absurd management. The mother
requires little care after calving, except
that of protection from too great severity
OF weather, and this more especially ifshe
] had been much nurSed before narturitinn.