Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-04-06
DAIRY DEPART EN- 7.
CALYING TIME.

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men to practice gentleness towards cows.
The meek-eyed, motherly beasts approach !
yery near to the human in those qualities
which claim the tenderest regard from the
mea who have to deal with them, and every
consideration of both mercy and justice
shonld be in active exercise during this par
ticular period OF their existence. what
man. having a soul of his own, can look in
to the gentle eyes of a well-bred COW and
not see something which answers to a soul
in her? And since she is denied the gift OF
speech. the mute appeal Of this Intelligent
eve should be all that is needed to secure
for her the provident care of her master, and
q. sympathetic consideration for the burden
Of her life. which she is made to bear for his
benefit. This talk may seem to some peo-
pie like a gushing sentilnentalism, but if it
has not in it the salt and SAVIOR OF the deep
est and highest truth, then L have mis-
learned the best attributes and qualities OF
humanity.
And now let las make a practical applica-
ton of this truth. The troubles which at
tend the calving time of COWS are oftenest
and best met in advance by the ounce of
prevention, which is better than the pound
of cure, or the many pounds Of attempt to
cure. Especially is this true in the case of
heifers with their first calves, when it is all
important to establish q healthy habit of
coming in right. Old Or middle-aged cows,
which are well established in good habits Of
this sort, may be left to go through them
selves, after having been tended in the main
operations of feeding and keeping from ex-
posure to cold and wet. But the heifer is
entering upon a new experience, which will
subject her vital powers to the most extreme
tension.
A general carefulness in the treatment of
all the breeding cows should be enforced.
They should be kept from all violence and
from the fear of it. They should not be
made to strain or jump in getting over bars,
fences, or water gullies. They should not
be made to travel faster than a walk. They
should not be roughly spoken to.-They
should not be crowded and jostled among
other cattle, OF subjected to the hooking Or
pushing of other animals. In all ways they
should be handled gently and be made to
feel at all times that their master is their
friend.
The swelling udder of the heifer should be
watched in this, its new experience, the
most important function of her existence,
since, without a good bag, she will be of
small account as a cow In the case of
heifers and COWS which come in early in the
season, there is less danger OF Inflammation
from a too great flow of milk than in those
which come in when grass is, abundant, but
this thing could be attended to at all seasons.
If the udder is full and hard before calving
time, and is likely to become infamed, the
best thing to be done is to draw off some of
the milk before resorting to outward appli-
cations. IT no milk can be drawn, in conse-
quence OF the bag having become hard be-
fore it was attended TO, it should be carefully
bathed with warm water, in which a little
salt has been dissolved, or n a warm, weak
soap-suds. An ointment of hogs lard and
cream, or fresh butter with camphor in it.
may be rubbed on the bags and teats by the
hand.
Il everything seems to be going on right
with the animal, it is best not to interfere
with the healthy process of nature, only to
provide nutritious food, dry beds and shelter
from the cold storms. If it seems necessary
to administer internal p%reventiyes or RENE
dies for milk-fever, the most approved medi-
cine among our dairymen is a solution of
saltpetre. two teaspooonfuls a week, for
TWO or three weeks before calving, given as
a drench. Plenty of nnre wator tn d,;n l. &c