The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1918-01-26
DISEASES OF CALF
Most Common Trouble of Young
Animals Is Diarrhea.
CONDITION HINDERS GROWTH
Ai!ment Is Result Of Disturbance OF
Digestive Observation-Disclosures Of
Preparations Are Used for
Its Treatment.
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)
Diarrhea, or scours, is probably the
most common disease Of calves. Great
care must be taken at all times to pre-
vent this condition, as it always him
ders the growth and development Of
the animal and in addition is often
hard to cure. This disease is the re-
suit of disturbance Of the digestive ap-
paratus of the calf and may be caused
in number Of ways, the more impor-
tant Of which are the following: Ir-
regular feeding, overlooking, sudden
change Of feed, fermented feeds, feed
ing dirty or sour milk or milk of dis
eased cows, the use Of dirty milk pals
or feed boxes, and damp, dirty stables.
As soon as scours is discovered it is
best to separate the affected calf from
the others and carefully disinfect the
pen. The feed should be reduced i'm
medlately at least one-half, milk pals
cleaned and sterilized, feed boxes
cleaned and disinfected, and any other
causes mentioned above eliminated.
Treating Disease.
A number Of preparations are used
to treat this disease, few Of the
more common of which are blood meal,
q teaspoonful at q feed; white Of egg {;
limewater, etc. A dose of four drops
Of formalin 10 each quart Of milk has
been used to advantage, and drench
Of three ounces Of castor oil followed
by a teaspoonful of a mixture of one
part salol and two Of subnitrate Of
bismuth also fl recommended. Ordi-
nary white clay, mixed with water to
the consistency of thick cream, and
given in doses of quarter or even half
a pint, three times a day, has been
used recently, with excellent effect.
White seours.
White scours, or infectious dysen-
terry Of the calf, generally affects a
number Of calves in a lot, and first
appears shortly after birth as a
diarrhea with light-colored, offensive
droppings. During the course Of this
disease the calf wants to sleep all the
time and cannot be induced to suck
or drink. It Is also very much weak
ened by the disease and usually dies
within three or four days. AS far as
the department knows, there is no
specific method Of curing the disease.
Ordinary white clay, mixed with wa
ter to the consistency Of thick cream.
and given in doses Of quarter or even
half a pint, three times day, has been
found to be very valuable. Manufac-
turers Of biological products, however,
are now selling a potent serum which
they claim to be effective in both pre-
vention and cure.
Prevention consists in the use Of
sanitary precautions, such as clean,
dry, and disinfected pens for calving,
and careful disinfection Of the navel
Of the calf at birth, painting the cord
with tinctrre of iodine, and tying it
with silk thread. AS this disease is
Of so serious a character that it may
cause the loss Of seasons crop Of
calves, the details for the control Of
an outbreak should be referred to the
state livestock official or to a quail
fed veterinarian in the community.