New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-06-17
FARM AND GARDEN.
The Treatment Of Garget, and the Use Of the
Brush on Cows.
The Treatment Of Garget In Cows.

The Treatment Of Garget In Cows.
Garget, or caked udder, which is
known to medical men as Ma1anaitis,
or Inflammation of the udder, is most
common in the spring, when the COWS
are about to come in. It prevails more
or less at all seasons, especially among
large mixers and highly fed COWS, and
to some extent in COWS that are badly
cared for, and exposed to the r1gors of
the weather. The first indication of 1t
is hardness of the udder. and stop
page of the flow of milk, or the ap-
pearance of thick, stringy matter, in
place of the milk. Sometimes it ap-
pears in the form of blood-like mat
ter in the milk. This may not be ap-
parent until the milk has been set for
cream, when the red matter is found
at the bottom of the pan or pail. In
very rare cases, nothing but a blood.
like fluid is drawn from the teats, and
this sometimes continues for weeks.
The disease may be produced by var
ious causes. Physical injury to the
udder, as by blows, pressure, undue
exercise when the udder is full of milk,
exposure to cold by lying upon snow
or Ice, or in wet places, or in cold
barns: overlooking, chiefly before
calving, or too soon after it; or by
forcing the COW to large production;
or by constitutional tendency to it
when she IS near calving; all these are
frequent causes of this disorder There
are cases in which from some physical
defect in the udder, the glands are
unable to secrete milk from the blood,
but exude the blood itself, or an
imperfect milk, which has some of the
properties of the blood Chiefly it is
red globules or colorlng matter), and
which throws up cream very little
differing from that of ordinary milk.
| Such cases are very rare, and are
wholly incurable. Garget is more
easily prev ented than cured. This re-
mark will apply to the whole list of
diseases and other troubles, to which
COWS are subject. A careful,
observant dairyman, may not have a
case of 1t in his dairy for years, while
a neighbor may be losing half his pro-
duct through it. Prevention lies IN
very careful feeding for few weeks
before calving, during which time no
grain should be given; avoiding excess
Of rich food, especially of cotton-seed
meal, which is a dangerous food in this
respect, on account OF its highly nit
rogenous character; by carefully pro-
viding warm shelter and bedding for
the cows at all times, and avoiding
exposure to severe weather, especially
cold rains, OF damp SHOWS; and lastly,
by careful driving, and the Punishment
OF dogs from a farm where COWS are
kept. The treatment consists IN
| giving cooling purgative, as pound
of Epson salts, repeated after two OF
three days; also, in warm lamentations
Of the bag, with gentle rubbing and
kneading Of the hard portions OF the
udder, until they are softened, and
then after the udder has been dried
with soft towel, to apply camphorated
soap liniment, mixed with IN equa]
part of ether; this is TO be well rubbed
into the skin with the hand. This
tends to allay the Inflammation, and tc
prevent swelling of the glands. All
the milk should be drawn off. If it is
thick and ropy, solution of carbonate
OF soda or saleratus in warm water,
should be injected into the teats, and
after few minutes MIXED out. This
alkaline injection will dissolve the
curdled, acid milk, and bring it to s
condition to be drawn off with ease
american Agrica1ltau>ist