The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-08-28
MILK FEVER.
How to Prevent This COmplaint-Ths
starvation Plan.

How to Prevent This COmplaint-The
Starvation Plan.
The way to prevent milk fever is to
feed about twO-thirds rations of fodder
and half ratiOns of whatever mess they
have been eating for q few days before
they come in, and for two or three days
after caiving feed sparingly with fodder;
give no mess at all for the first day OF
two after, except a half dozen potatoes
or carrots, and take the chill off all her
drink for forty eight hours after calving.
II the weather is hot keep her in the
shade in the heat of the day, and she
will not be likely to. have any trouble.
But if YOU are caught with q case OF
milk fever, don't try te'physic her, hut
empty the rectum and give an injection
of laudanum diluted with thin starch,
and keep giving the laudanum often
enough to keep her easy and in four Of
five DAYS her bowels Will move. When
YOU wish to leave her for the night. give
an extra amount of laudanum. As she
begins to get better she will look
brighter, and drink little, and will not
need as much laudanum. BY the sec.
ond or third day she will almost surely
need catheter to empty her bladder.
If there IS no catheter near. small
rubber tube will answer: Your family
physician: can tell you how to use it il
necessary A little weak saltpe.er water
for a diuretic is useful. Cows SIX years
old and over are more likely TO have
milk fever. The writer says that he has
never known n case with a COW less
than five wears old. Good, COWS that
give much milk and are EXTRA well fed
are the ones that have it.. A great
many jersey cOws,hape died'in that way.
thought in the main were very good.
The direction as to- feeding before and
after coming in is unquestionably sound.
The suggestion, too, as tD the class OF:
cows that are subject On liable to have
milk fever is worthy of attention. 1t Is
the good cow that needs looking after
carefully in this matter: Perhaps IL
woald be ussful To publish here what
M. G. W. Farlee,. noted breeder; oil
Trenton, n j., has % say npG3 the sub
ieot.. He SAYS: iii is the great baaa OF;
breeding for great milk and butter Ca
yscity. have had s0Rss severe losses
with milk fever, and Can discOvsr no
ether method of preveniiOn than what
Colonel Warning aalled .judiciOus tarva-.
ton fos "A month or bro before calving.
The calf is so far advanced in develop
ment shat there rs 10 danger ofinjury to,
it. Such COW as Eadette it IS simply
impossible to DRY, and besides. l qnes-,
toned its propre:y. In view of the,
danger of milk fever it is often recon-,
mended to dry = great mixer for at
least Il month before calving. L an In
eiinsd to think this is not wise. The
disturbance to the system of making
the new milk when a cow IS entirely dry
j.. believe. largely responsible Tor
milk fever Of course the malady Is mo-
toriously aggravated by a pletho rie con-
dition Of the animal. My prsctice Is to
reduce the flow by short commons but
continue milking until the new milk
comes, which is readily recognized by
its wa,ery condition. Ithen cease milk
inc. In three or four days have the
udder entirely emptied, care being taken
10 extract from the udder every particle
of the ropy, curd-like substance which
.accumulates IN the udder. After like
interval Of time the ndder is again thor.
cuchly cleansed and the COW left to de-
velop the milk in due course of time.
have had good luck thus far in my
practice. but l confess the starvation
plan makes sorry looking cattle for q
time,- Hestern Rural.