Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-24
The Strawpile

yards and barns where animals are
kept. Some Of these germs are harm
full; others are not. Many are espec-
| tally harmful if they have grown
for time in sore or abscess the dis
charges of which are sn1eared about
the stalls and bedding. When the young
animal is born in the pasture on fresh
grass, there is seldom any trouble.
Such places are fairly clean. But when
they are dropped in yards or stalls that
J are filthy or soiled with manure the
/ little creature before gaining strength
! to stand drags his long navel cord
about and soiling 1t, the germs gain
| an entrance.
| About the first indication OF this
trouble is noticed several days after
birth when the young thing is list
less, persists in lying, doesn't care for
its milk, breathes fast, and has few.
! er. On close examination the navel is
seen to be swollen and open and US
ually discharging thin pus that soils
the hair about the wound In colt
usually one or more joints are swollen,
hot, and tender so that 1t is lame or
refuses to move. Calves are constipated
and unthrifty, later developing the foul
smelling diarrhoea.
| A large per cent Of these cases prove
fatal and treatment is of little use
| even when promptly begun.
Prevention. In the summer time the
mare, COW or eve may drop her young
on the grass in the pasture and all go
I well unless too crowded; but during
the winter when stables or sheds are
used special precautions should be
taken. These would include: a. at
tention to the stall; (2) attention to
hn OF IN
offspring.
The Stall. Stalls for this purpose
should not be used commo only as hos
pital wards for any class OF patients.
especially cases Of abortion, retained
after birth, foot rot, or assesses.
Barns should be constructed so as to
afford good light, sunshine and air for
this is to be continued battle with
germs. When making ready a stall for
a prospective mother, all litter and
bedding should be removed, the floor
aired. and dried, and then thoroughly
sprinkled with some good disinfectant.
When dry. a good bed Of straw Is pro-
vided and even this may be lightly
sprinkled with the disinfectant.
The Mother. No mare or COW
should be brought into even so clean
a stall with dirty coat: or what
is worse, with the hind parts coated
with manure Careful herdsmen
prevent this and even wash these
parts frequently with a creolin solu-
ton or other disinfectant. In the
case Of mares, the tails may be tied
up until after the colt is born. Ewes !,
frequently have the long wool clogged
with manure, and this should be re-
moved.
The Offspring Usually when ami
mails are born in barns the attendl
ant will be present at the birth or
few hours after.
The attendant should be provideGY
with some clean strong cord as FISH
line, some disinfectant as creolin,
carbolic acid, or corrosive sublimate.
a small pan, clean cotton, and some
wide bandage material. When the on3
spring is born and the navel cord is
severed, It should be washed with
strong solution of disinfectant tied Oh
tightly about an inch from the skin
and cut with a clean knife or scissors
leaving three or four inches hanging
This is probably all that will be need
ed in the case OF lamb. Calves tina
are kept in clean stalls with thei
mothers may not seem to need this
but the precaution is worthy in val
liable animals. With colts we can az
ford to take a little more pains and
daily repeat the disinfecting Of thu
navel for week. Some attendants adj
just q wide bandage about the colts
belly, holding in place on the nave
a piece Of cotton soaked in weak
disinfectant.
The disinfecant that is applied I'd
the cord is used in strong solution
to hasten shrinking and drying. Too
much of this should not be put on
the skin, however.
The attendant should have clean
hands and clothes land should refrain
from handling new born creatures 3f
caring for other animals that have
wounds or sores where there is much
pus. If one little animal has navel i'll
or bad case Of scours, other new ar.
rivals should not be put into the same
place.