Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-12-20

CORNSTALK DISEASE IN CATTLE.
Z. L. MooRE, Veterinsrian 10 L. S. Experiment
Station

into fields, OF standing cornstalks dur
ing the fall, is not, as some seem to
think, a new disease, but has been
present in this country for thirty or
forty years. Gamgee in 1S6S-69, as
well as later Investigators, have fed
varying quantities OF corn smut to
cattle without producing the disease.
Efforts to isolate poisonous product
from the cornstalks have also proved
unavailing. Not only has the germ
isolated by Billings been shown to be
harmless, but efforts TO obtain any
disease producing germ have been
fruitless. Mayo (of Kansas) at one
time believed that possibly large
amount Of potassium nitrate which
he described as being present in the
stalks, acted as a poison, but this view
cannot be upheld, since the disease
may appear when there are no such
large amounts Of nitrate present as ia
Mayo's cases. A comparison between
the stalks left standing 10 the field
and those which have been harvested
as fodder will readily show that In the
former case very large per cent of
the nutritive value of such stalk has
been lost. They are fibrous, largely
indigestible and have been exposed to
the attacks of various germs produc-
ing decay. Today we look upon the
disease as being due to an overlooking
Of the stomach with this indigestible,
spoiled fodder, causing inflammation
Of the stomachs, impaction of the
third stomach and accompanying
evils.
The attack comes on rapidly, there
usually being few initial symptoms.
The diseased animal is dull, spiritless,
often found lying down apart from
the rest of the herd On standing the
back is arched, eyes wild and it may
exhibit signs of abdominal pain by
looking toward the flank or kicking at
belly. AS the symptoms become
more marked it moves with an un-
steady, staggering gait, moving ap-
parently without motive from place
to place, staring wildly at the eyes,
frothing at the mouth, believing
loudly. When the animal stands dur
ing brief lucid interval the attack
may be brought on again by suddenly
disturbing it. These attacks continue
until the animal finally becomes too
exhausted to stand, falling to the
. ground and dying In spasm Of pain
or in stupor or coma, Boating may
or may not be present. Death occurs
rapidly, usually within twenty-four
hours after the first attack is noted.
Treatment may be divided into the
preventative and curative. The pre-
ventative treatment consists in avoid
ing turning the animals into the
stalk fields when they are hungry.
They should be allowed a grain ration
before they have access to the stalks.
Preferably this should be laxative in
nature, as bran, haxseed, oil meal,
etc, or roots may be given. Allow the
animals to remain in the stalks but
for a short time, say half an hour, the
first day, gradually increasing the
length of their stay. That this
method of prevention is effectual has
been proved by the testimony Of feed
ers from all states ia which the
trouble has existed. II instead Of al
lowing the cornstalks to stand in the
1 field exposed to wind and weather,
l they are cut and cured and then fed,
no trouble from this source will be ex-
perienced 1t is worthy Of notice that
cornstalk disease which has been
prevalent in some states, has disap-
peared as soon as it became the gen.
eral practice to harvest the stalks az
fodder. The practical prevention,
then, lies in cutting the stalks.
Curative treatment, owing to the
rapidity with which the disease runs
| its course, may not in many cases be
cFsctual. We may employ EPSON or
elauber salts In one and half pound
doses: or, the same amount OF equal
parts of these two salts, given as a
drench. 1t would be well also to give
this dose az physic to the remaining
animals OF the herd, even though
they may not exhibit any symptoms
of the disease. Instead Of using salts
we may employ raw linseed oil /
quart, belladona and glycerine In
equal parts, s ozs,, given as drench.
We may attempt to combat symptoms
Of abdominal pain or nervous excita-
bllity by giving potassium bromide In
ounce doses, powdered opium in three
| dram doses, morphine In ten grain
doses, or possibly better powdered
cannabis indica in half ounce doses.
Free bleeding even in the compar-
atiyely earlier stages OF the disease,
has not, In my experience, proved
effectual, although 1t may be resorted
/! to when we have marked nervous
symptoms.