The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-04-26

/ Following is an article in the cur
rent number of the Michigan Farmer
of especial interest to our rural sub
scribers, written by Leo c. Reynolds,
of Maple River:
There are two types of ailments of
the udder of ewes that are very apt
to become manifest at parturition.
The first is caking, due generally to
feeding excessive amount of carbon
aceous foods such as corn during the
CESSATION period. Caked udder is not
a very common ailment of ewes at
parturition, although where the flock
has been fed freely upon carbon
aceous grain ration the trouble is
quite prevalent. The first symptom
noticeable upon examination of the
ewes udder is its hard and feverish
condition. 1t does not require much
skill to determine whether or not
eve is suffering from caked udder.
If the eve is to be saved with all her
milk producing faculties something
must be done Immediately to relieve
the situation.
The first thing to be done is to give
a change of food The carbohydrates
of the ration should be Immediately
reduced. For a few days little or no
grain should be fed in order to check
the milk flow. Fomenting the udder
is one of the best and most reliable
treatments and when fully and prop
erly applied will generally result sue
'cessfully. 1t consists of constant ap-
plication of cloths dipped in hot water
and applied directly to the udder. In
case the trouble is we'll along it may
require two or three hours of contin-
uous application to restore circula-
ton and vitality to the milk glands.
Ii is also important that some form of
laxative be given to help carry away
waste that necessarily must be gotten
rid of through the circulation of the
blood Raw linseed oil is one of the
most active laXatives and can be Civ
ell without endangering the digestive
system.
The second type of ailment fire.
quently attacking the udder of ewes
at parturition, is garget Like the
trst allment, garget generally finds
its victims among the heavy mixers
in the flock The causes are numer-
Gus. Local injuries, such as thump-
ing the udder in attempting to get
over base boards frequently employed
for keeping the manure from working
out the doors where the sheep pass
in and out of the barn. Too great
supply of milk-producing food which
unduly distends the udder More
milk than is removed daily by the
newly born progeny, may all contrib
ute singly in bringing about a gar
getty condition of the udder.
One of the best remedies | have
ever employed in handling ewes at
tackled with garget was the hot water
application. Fomenting is not nee
essary i'll ordinary cases of garget.
| have found that by setting the eve
upon her bullock and washing the
udder with as hot water as one can
stand to apply and by rubbing and
working the udder for 10 or 20 min
utes three or four times daily, the
hardened portion can be reduced and
active circulation restored. AS in the
former a laxative should be given at
the outset of the treatment
Prevention is one of the best cures
any hockmaster can provide to elm
mate trouble of the udder of ewes at
parturition. Heavy milking ewes
should be fed sparingly for few days
previous and Immediately following
parturition to hold the milk flow in
check and also to give the milk
glands an opportunity to adapt them
selves to the situation. Succulent
foods are undesirable during the few
days prior to and following parturi-
ton. They tend TO increase milk pro-
duction, and overload the milk secre-
ting glands located in the udder.
Shawasse Co. Leo c. Reynolds.