DAIRY MEETING. 17^ 



a time, but usually a somevyhat restricted diet and careful milk- 

 ing will lead to recovery in from three to ten days. Cows that 

 are heavy milkers are most often affected. 



TORN OR CUT UDDER. 



Often the udder is cut by barb wire or a nail. These cuts are 

 ragged and frequently difficult to heal. This is particularly 

 true if they are sufificiently deep as to allow the escape of milk. 

 If the cut is clean and not too extensive an attempt may be 

 made to close it by stitches placed close together. The wound 

 must first be thoroughly disinfected and a disinfectant must be 

 used as a wash as it is healing. Superficial wounds may be 

 treated with creolin or zinc ointment. 



CONGESTION OF THE UDDER. 



Heavy milkers before and just after calving usually have the 

 udder considerably swollen and hot. The swelling sometimes 

 extends a little forward onto the abdomen. This is perfectly 

 normal and requires no special attention but if the milk secretion 

 begins prematurely and the cow is not properly milked out we 

 often get very troublesome conditions, in which the udder is 

 hard and sore and filled with coagulated milk. This condition 

 requires very careful treatment or a valuable cow will be perma- 

 nently injured. First the feed should be laxative and not too 

 abundant, the udder should be bathed frequently with hot water 

 and rubbed for a long time with the bare hand. After bathing 

 and rubbing camphorated oil may be applied to advantage. 

 More can be accomplished the first day or two that the trouble 

 exists by persistent treatment than is possible later if the cases 

 are neglected. Some of the most serious cases require daily 

 doses of an ounce of saltpeter and 20 to 30 drops of aconite. 

 Exposure to cold or standing in a draft is particularly liable to 

 aggravate this trouble. As a preventative it is always best to 

 begin milking a cow as soon as milk begins to be secreted, even 

 if it is a week before the birth of the calf. 



