The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-05-15
GARGET IN COWS.

A Disease Caused by Excess Of Food, Ex-
pOsure and General Neglect.
This disease is . serious one for the
dairyman, the more SO that in its mild
est form 1t occasions loss of milk for .
time when the most Is expected from
the COWS, and it may easily result In
permanent damage and proitless con-
dition of the animal.
Like most other diseases Of cows 1t Is
more easily prevented than cured. and
IL IS more easily cured by immediate APP
plication Of tho appropriate remedies.
1t Is caused most frequently by over
feeding cows too late before the period
OF the next calving, or by continuing
the milking too long, both Of these
faults affecting the condition Of the COW
and unduly stimulating the action OF
the milk organs at time when they
should be at rest and preparing for the
important constitutional change about
to occur, in which the milk organs take
so prominent part 1t very rarely oc-
ours when COW is fed only on hay or
grass for two months or six weeks before
calving. and is dried off for the same
time. Thisis indispensable, to prepare
the system Of the COW for the new calv-
ing and avoid the excitement Of the I'D
der while still charged with the old
milk and in full action of the milk
glands. Another very effective means
OF preventing the trouble is to keep the
COW quiet during the calving and to
avoid grain feeding for the first week
afterward. until the milk glands re.
cover from tho excitement incident tc
the birth of the calf.
Garget is caused very frequently by
excess Of grain feeding at any time. Elk
posture to sudden changes of the weather
is also frequent cause, and any thing
else that may disturb the functions OF
the glands, such as irregular milking,
leaving milk in the udder, or any un-
usual exercise.
This disease calls for immediate reme-
dies. as the longer itcontinues the more
difficult the cure becomes. The first
thing to be done is to reduce the grain
food and to remove Inflammation by the
use Of cooling laxative medicines, such
rs epson or glauber salts in dose OF
one pound. This is best given dissolved
in linseed or oatmeal cruel sweetened
with molasses and administered by
means Of drenching horn or . long
necked bottle, the neck Of which is
carefully inserted in the side OF the
mouth, avoiding the teeth, while the
head is raised. After this an ounce OF
hyposulphite OF soda may be given
daily in warm bran mash. Sometimes
the milk will remain in the udder or
will only partly be drawn through the
teats in ropy and adhesive strings, and
sometimes thick mucus or pus from the
inflamed membranes will be mixed
with the milk and defy all attempts to
draw it through the teats. or the udder
will be SO tender that milking is pain.
full. and remain in so hard and tnmefied
condition as to alarm the mixer. This
hardness may be easily reduced by hot
lamentations and gentle kneading OF
the udder. by which the con.
gcsted glandular substance may be
broken down and got rid OF by
milking. The tbickened milk may
be dissolved by injecting, by means Of a
common syringe, pint of warm solu.
ton of carbonate of soda, or saleratus,
into the teat of the affected quarter OF
the udder or into all of the teats IL the
whole udder Is diseased, and it may
then be removed by milking. A super.
fetal application of camphorated soap
liniment, we'll but gently rubbed into
the udder after q hot fermentation, will
be- found useful. Some veterinarians
advise iodine in the form of ointment as
. superficial application to resolve the
tumefaction, but the writer has found
this inadvisable. although directly effec-
tive, because Of its absorbtive result on
the glands. This tends to reduce the
milking ability OF the udder for the
whole season, and in some cases 1t has
completely destroyed it. causing total
disability Of the udder to produce milk
afterward. Iodine in any form should
not be used in this disorder.
In serious cases, and most often BY
neglect, assesses may form in the
udder or in . quarter Of 1t. When this
unfortunate complication happens the
udder should be poulticed. and as soon
as may be desirable the tumors may be
opened and the matter discharged. But
by due attention to the remedial meas
ures above suggested this is not likely
to occur. OF course, during an attack
of garget the milk is wholly unfit for
use. and no conscientious dairymau
would mix such milk with that oil
healthy cows, although ithas sometimes
been done by persons ignorant of the
nature of the disease.-Henry Stewart,
in N. Y. Times.