THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



219 



THE COW AT CALVING TIME. 



It ig of great importance to every cow-keeper and 

 cattle-breeder that the proper treatment of cows, as 

 breeding animals, should be fully undeistood, and car- 

 ried oul in every department of their management. It 

 is wrong to put heifers to breeding purposes too young, 

 whether intended for the dairy or the herd. It retards 

 their growth, and weakens their constitutions. Heifers 

 ought to be at least two years old before they are allowed 

 to go to the bull, more particularly if intended for the 

 dairy, as generally the cow has to yield one or two meals 

 of milk daily whilst nourishing her future calf. The 

 suckling cow is seldom milked dry by her calf, and has 

 therefore a better chance of supporting the foetus, or 

 future calf. la all cases of breeding animals they 

 should only be kept in safe ordinary condition, neither 

 too fat nor too lean. For this purpose the cow, as 

 calving time approaches, should be better fed, so that 

 the nourishment necessary for the foetus should be 

 counterbalanced by the quality of the food given. She 

 should be kept in a quiet undisturbed state for at least 

 three months prior to calving, having been previously 

 " dried" for that purpose. 



As the time of calving approaches (which every 

 breeder may ascertain by recording the date of bulling, 

 and counting on about forty or forty-one weeks, or 280 

 days, the period of gestation,) * she should be separated 

 from the herd in the Summer to a convenient pad- 

 dock ; in the Winter to a warm, clean, and well- 

 ventilated hovel, or barn, where she should be con- 

 stantly watched, and well, but not profusely fed. As 

 " labour" comes on, and which may be anticipated by 

 the falling of the flank, and depression of the croup, 

 she should not be disturbed, but for a time left 

 to her own natural efforts. When in the judgment of the 

 herdsman the calf is sufficiently advanced to be felt, he 

 should gently insert his hand in the uterus, to ascertain 

 that the presentation is right, i. e., that the two fore 

 feet and the nose of the calf can be felt; if so, 

 she may be left a reasonable time to deliver 

 herself, but he may occasionally assist a little. 

 Should the labour be somewhat protracted, he must 

 then summon assistance, and take the calf away, other- 

 wise the strong continuous paining of the cow will fre- 

 quently kill the calf ere it is born. The common course 

 pursued in taking away a calf is to cause the cow to 

 stand up, and then to draw a little forward the feet, and 

 fasten around the legs and above the first joints a cord 

 of sufficient strength and such pliability as not to bruise 

 the legs. The hand or fingers should then be inserted, 

 so as to place the head or nose right, i. e., just upon, or 

 rather slightly between the legs, The assistants may 

 then gently draw the legs forward, and bearing the cord 



* M. Tesaier reports the result of obseivations upon 160 

 cows; 14 calved from 241 8t to 266th day; Son the 270th, 

 50 on the 280th, 68 on from the 280th to 290tb, 20 on the 

 300tb, and 5 on the 308tb. 



downwards ; the herdman meanwhile endeavouring to 

 push gently back any portion of the uterus brought 

 prominent by the head, and aid by gentle means as he 

 best can the delivery. As soon as the calf is brought 

 forth its nostrils should be immediately cleansed from 

 adhering mucus, the mouth opened, and when it has 

 breathed freely it may be rubbed carefully with a wisp 

 and then presented to the mother, who will at onc'e lick 

 it freely with her tongue, which acts as both brush and 

 curry-comb most advantageously. In a few minutes 

 it should be lifted up, be supported, and enticed (o 

 suck. If it sucks freely, very little danger is to be 

 apprehended, and the dam and calf may be safely left 

 together. Warm-water only should be given to the 

 cow, and her food should be of a mild and nutritious 

 character, avoiding cold roots or the like. The calf 

 should be left with the dam at least three days, in order 

 that it may draw its food at first naturally, and as it re- 

 quires it. By this time the first milk or beastlings, 

 acting as a gentle purge, will have passed through its 

 bowels, cleansing them of all mucus ; it may then be 

 safely removed to the calf-house to be brought up by 

 hand if required. 



In cases of wrong presentations the cow should be 

 carefully examined by inserting the bare arm as far as 

 possible into the uterus. Upon ascertaining^the position , 

 of the calf, such judicious means must be adopted to 

 get it away as the best judgment dictates. In a pre- 

 sentation, when the hinder parts come first, the calf 

 may occasionally be drawn away ; but generally in 

 such presentations the legs are doubled backward ; it is 

 then necessary to push the calf back into the womb or 

 calf-bed, and if possible turn it, or get forward the legs, 

 for it cannot come forth doubled up as it is : 

 in either case, it is a most difficult task to get it away 

 safely, and often results in the death of both dam and 

 calf. In difficult cases, it is best to send for the vete- 

 rinary surgeon, who, of course, has most practice. In 

 my own business, I use a very homely instrument for 

 pushing back the calf into the womb. It is the shaft of 

 a spade or shovel. The hilt serves for a shoulder- 

 crutch ; and the bottom of the shaft is cut into a little 

 hollow, or curve. This little hollow is placed just 

 under the tail of the calf, so that the sides press on the 

 tuts of the calf. The shoulder is then applied to the 

 hilt; and by a very gentle, persevering push, it is forced 

 back. The arm is then inserted, and an attempt is 

 made to bring forward the feet, or, if possible, the head 

 and fore-feet. This, however, is generally impossible : 

 however, the hind-feet may usually be got forward ; 

 but the turning them from their bent position is almost 

 sure to lacerate the womb, and cause death. Something, 

 however, must be done j and it is worth the trial — it 

 does not always end fatally. 



In extremely violent cases the womb, or calf-bed, 

 will protrude and fall down. This is a very difficult 



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