The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-02-26
when the Cows 40 ,,,e I'm.


The loss Of cows in Brule county.
eyerv spring at time of parturition
amounts into the thousand of dollars.
The loss OF calves almost doubles the
amount. In so perfect a climate as
South Dakota this great per centage OF
loss IS due solely to improper food and
care, largely the former. Dlspite all
that may be said OF the wonderful
nutritive value of the South Dakota
grasses when made into hay or left to
cure on the ground, they DO not contain
the succnlence necessary to COW ap.
preaching parturitlon. 10 all the eastern
states where the per centage Of loss at
this period is very small, cows, whether
OF the beef or dairy type, are usually fed
roots or ensilage or, II not. cooling
mashes and grains. The contrast be-
tween sIcA g course Of feeding and en-
exclusive diet Of dry prairie hay is great.
The same COW which would after an all
summer run on the sweet. succnlent
prairie grasses drop a healthy calf and
come out Of the ordeal herself in prime
condition. stands fair chance after a
four or five months steady hay ration
or dry corn stalks Of producing living
abortion in the way of calf or losing
her own life.
In these times of $40 cows end $50
yearlings it doesn't pay to neglect other
when little bit OF care and foresight
and the expenditure cf a dollar or two
may be the means OF saving hundreds.
Not only this, but it is far less trouble
aud expense to ct d COW for the trials of
.parturition than to hunt up local "cow
DOCTORS" buy medicine and make ones
self sick with fretfulness and anxiety
over valuable COW at deaths door.
In any line Of whether
managing great department store or
running y stock or dairy farm-it is the
attention to the little details, seemingly
to the layma n unimportant, that marks
the line between success and failure
Few there:are among the farmers OF
this state who can pamper their stock
with tho modern improved stables; a box
stall for each COW and the accessories.
The GRAPHIC knows all that. But fewer
there are yet cannot glvea little
better care to their cows during the
period Of CESSATION.
The cows dus to come in when green
grass is not to be had-in the winter or
early spring-should for several weeks
previons TO parturi:ion be fed liberal
rationof bran every day-if no roots
or other succulent food is at hand.
This has cooling influence; keeps
down any fever and acts as a laxative on
the bowels. II necessary to produce
more laxative effect. add tablespoons
full of pure ground flax seed to each feed.
II the COW is valuable one and over-fat.
in such condition as to pe in danger
OF fever, a pound Of EPSON salts, two
ounces OF ginger and half ounce OF
salt-petre in two quarts OF warm water
given as drench in one dose week
before calving and repeated The day be-
fore will almost certainly prevent any
trouble. In ordinary cases give hot
bran mash--a full pail Of 1.-two or
three times during the last ten days.
Stir in the mash small handful of salt
and II like amount OF ground tlaxseed.
To make the mash ponr boiling water
owe: the bran, cover with a blanket aud
let stand until cool enough to fsad. AZ
ter the calf arrives give as soon as pos
sible either another bran mash ,or a
pail Of scaldpd oats. This assists The
afterbirth. Avoid letting tho COW have
all the cold Watar she wants for savera,
days. A pail at time Only with the
chill taken off is the safest.
As is readily seen, there is nothing
about these directions but what are of
the simplest nature. nothing in them
which cannot be easily carried out by
any farmer whoither he has dozen cows
or fifty. 1t is the method followed ty
leading stockmen and dairymcn all
over the stock producing sections of the
country and ii faithfully followed here
would reduce tho fatalities fifty per cent.
Tho point is this: Both COW and calf
need sncculent food during CESSATION,
particularly during the last few months.
1t is for this reason that there is very
little trouble wher the COW comes iu
early in the fall after season on grass.
When parturition falls in winter or
spriEg it tccomes necessary to supple
mant the Try hay with food OF a more
laxative natnre. Corn is heating and
should be avoided.
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