Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-01-18
MORTALITY OF CATTLE.

State Veterinarian Goring read the
following paper upon the mortality OF
cattle when turned into corn stalk pas
lures:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen:
BY request OF Hon. Martin Mohler, Score.
tary of the State Board OF Agriculture for
kansas i have prepared q statement OF what,
In my opinion, 10 the cause Of the mortality
among cattle, when turned out to feed In the
corn stalk pasture. That death Is caused by
acute Inflammation OF the stomach and In
testlnes 10 OF course quite plain. i have
made number OF post norton examina'
lions on cattle after dying as above men
toned, after being allowed to feed to repie-
tlon on corn stalks, and the symptoms pre-
sentd are invariably the same, viz: Exten.
sive Inflammation Of the alimentary canal
and coverings OF the brain. When cattle are
first turned into q corn stalk pasture they
feed Voraciously, regardless OF the dlsas'
trous consequences that 80 frequently fol'
lows engagement with this coarse, dry
and almost indlgestible food. But
| as this disease is not Of q contagious or In
fectivc nature, I am not permitted at the en-.
pense of the State to go and personally In
vestigate the symptoms, course and termi.
nation Of cases reported to me by farmers
whose stock suffer. Therefore ! can only
advise by letter giving treatment that h.Ve
| found most successful in cases both OF this
nature among my own cattle and those
have been called upon to treat In my capacity
as q private practitioner before entered the
service of the State
The character Of the food and the habits
and condition Of the animal operate rs direct
cause of the disease OF the alimentary canal.
Very rich and concentrated food taken In un'
due quantity, or very innutritious sub.
stances. such as over ripe straw or hay. or
corn stalks, which being composed almost
entirely OF woody fiber, and silicon. VIII
cause enterltis. This effect Is due moro to
the action Of the substances as foreign
bodies, which are not subject to the
digestive action OF the secretions OF
the mouth, stomach and bowels, than to
the want of other elements necessary to
| life. and the perpetuation of health. The
digestive function failing to perform Its
| work, the contents of the stomach and
| bowels become cause of severe inf ANNA
tion in which natures recuperat,ve powers
| too often prove unequal to the emergency.
especially Is this the case where cattle are
not thoroughly habituated to the use OF un.
| wholesome food. / am fully convinced that
the whole cause Of the trouble In the cases
| where cattle die after being turned out
among corn stalks to feed Ia due to the indl-
gestibility and the large quantity OF food in.
gested.
MY personal experience while in the cattle
business was that by allowing the cattle to
remain only one hour day among the stalks
| until their stomachs become accustomed to
the work required of II, and allowing plenty
OF pure water. no cattle were lost. After be.
ing handled in this way for about ten days
consider Il safe to turn them permanently
out among the stalks.
When cattle are allowed to engorge them.
Velves with unmasticatcd and only partly
| masticated food, especially when 1t IL OF
| coarse, cellulose character, II becomes i'm.
pocted In the paunch (rumen, first stomach)
or maniply (third stOmach) or both. The
animal Is then unable to regurgitate the con.
tents for the second and final masticatlon,
which Is the cud chewing process. As con.
| sequence, this body of COMPRESSED material
acting like thorn in the flesh, creates an
Inflammation. which, without timely and
| proper medical treatment, results In fatal
| termination. This Inflammation upon the
mucous membrane of the stomach extenda
from contiguity of tissues to the muscular
coats and then on to the lntestlnes and finally
to pertoneuin setting up perltonitus In.
volving the entire contents OF the abdominal
cavity. This extensive and severe infiam'
nation Is sufficient to involve by sympathy
the membranes OF the brain. and the unmis.
taxable symptoms OF meningitis are OBJ
| served The affection Is usually
followed soon by relief in death.
Corn stalks that are damaged ~
mold or rot, or contaminated by smut
should not under any circumstances be I'D
to stock, unless to prevent sta vation-wheE
no proper, wholesome food could be pro-
cured. In my opinion most of the losses n
| Cured by death from indigestion originating
| In cattle, which are allowed to have free AZ.
ce to corn stalk fodder could be entirely
avoided by handling the stock rs follows:
| First-Before turning them into the stalb
pasture see that they start in on pretty full
stomachs, of food which they are accustomed
to eating, then they can not possibly Overeat
the first time, then allow them to remain In
the stalk pasture for about an hour each day
thereafter, gradually Increasing the time, ne
before stated. This gives the stomach time
to become accustomed to this class Of food.
You can then safely allow the stock to run
! among the corn stalks at will. Never lose
sight Of the fact that constant and full sup
ply OF pure water Is absolutely necessary for
the well being OF cattle while kept upon this
class Of food.
The rational treatment of all diseases Is to
remove the cause of the morbid conditions,
and in the case under discussion to remove
the indgestible mass from the stOmachs, Is
indicated. For this purpose ! have found
the following mixture to be very successful:
| Liaseed oil, quart; cotton oil, 20 drops; mo-
lasses, pint; ginger tincture, ouncesi mix
we'll and give as one dose to each animai. OF
course this is a dose for an adult. Half the
| dose would be suitable for q One-year.old
animal, and so ON according to age. II this
| be unsuccessful In producing copious
discharge from the bowels inside OF
twenty -four hears repeat the dose.
The sooner thiS treatment IL adopted
in the early stage of the disease.
the more likely 10 recovery to follow. As
soon as the stomach and bowels are thur
oughly cleaned out by the action Of the
purgative medicine given, administer TIE
following daily to each animal under treat
ment: Common salt, ounces; nit. potash,
half ounce; bi carb. soda, ounce; syrup
pint; water, quart; mix well and drench.
Three days viii be quite sufficient to keep
up this treatment. At all times during treat.
ment allow free access to be had by che sick
stock to water. Injections arc often used