124 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



reached. This operation has been known and practiced by the Arabs for many 

 years on their barren mares, and of late years it has been practiced successfully 

 on cattle. In some instances the mouth of the womb can not be dilated with the 

 fingers ; in such instances a surgical operation has to be performed. This should 

 only be done by those understanding the anatomy of the parts. 



With regard to the percentage of barren animals I have endeavored to 

 obtain statistical information on the subject, but as records are not usually 

 kept I have not been very successful. In 1881 where a record of 2,764 mares 

 was kept, 73.70 were fruitful, 26.24 were barren, and 3.G5 aborted. In the 

 cow it has been estimated that 79 per cent were fruitful. In sheep, out of 

 8,500 only 740 or about 12 per cent were unfruitful. In an ordinary flock of 

 sheep it is generally estimated that as many lambs will be produced, as there 

 are ewes; the twins making up for the barren animals, etc. 



HYGIENIC TREATMENT OR CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANT ANIMALS. 



The mare, if employed for labor, may be worked up to within a very short 

 period of parturition, if the work be moderate and in harness. She should be 

 kept in moderate condition, and regularly exercised at all events. 



The cow, if kept for milk alone, may be milked to within a very short period 

 of calving, but if any value be placed upon the calf, then milking should stop 

 about the fifth or sixth month, for if milking is prolonged it very likely proves 

 prejudicial to the fojtus by diverting the elements of nutrition from the womb to 

 the udder; they should be fed on the best quality of easily digested food, care 

 being taken that they do not become too fat, for if obesity is allowed to pro- 

 ceed to an extreme degree it may retard the development of the foetus, or pro- 

 duce abortion. They should be protected from inclemency of the weather, but 

 allowed at all times plenty of fresh air. They should not be allowed to drink 

 too freely of ice or very cold water in the latter months as it is very likely to 

 produce abortion. They should be kept from the smell of blood. In cows it 

 sometimes happens that one will abort after the other, if allowed in contact 

 with one another. The odor of one which has aborted should at once be 

 removed. Harsh treatment on the part of attendants should be sternly sup- 

 pressed, and surgical operations should not be performed if they can be 

 avoided. After parturition the mothers should be kept comfortable for a few 

 days, as they are very likely to take cold at this time. 



ATTENTION TO TUE OFFSPRING. 



The foetal membranes (after birth) should be removed at once, and the 

 natural openings examined, to see if they exist, if they do not artificial ones 

 may be made and kept open for a day or two with pledgets of lint, or some 

 thing of that sort. All collections should be removed from the nostrils and 

 mouth. 



The mother should be allowed, in fact, encouraged to like the new-born, 

 but should she appear indifferent to her young, she can often be induced to 

 lick it by sprinkling the skin with bran or a little salt. The friction caused by 

 the tongue of the mother is very necessary as it excites the circulation of the 

 blood in the skin, which is very likely to be driven from it when the young 

 creature is deposited in a colder atmosphere than its delicate skin is accus- 

 tomed to. Young animals should be kept in dry places. After the first birth 

 attendants should leave them as much as possible to themselves, for by too 

 much interference the mother often becomes careless and forsakes the 



