Milk Ferer and other Calviny Troubles. 997 



servmg very young animals, they get in calf much sooner than their 

 owners would like. Too often these young heifers are grazing on 

 scant pastures, semi-exhausted cultivation paddocks upon which 

 there is not a semblance of shelter to keep rain or cold wind from 

 them. Is it to be wondered then that such an animal, half-starved as 

 it is, is unable to endure the double strain imposed upon it, of 

 building up its own constitution and supporting the foetus, and 

 should at the calving experience great difficulty in pulling through 

 debilitated as it must necessarily be. If able to pass the calf un- 

 aided, there is still danger of the foetal membranes remaining in the 

 uterus, inducing metro-peritonitis if no care is taken of it. The same 

 remark applies to cows which have passed through their first calving 

 safely, and have either been milked too long or their strength has not 

 been maintained by proper food and nourishment. Even though they 

 pass the calf safely they are unable to clean without assistance, with 

 the result that retention of the after-birth sets up trouble. 



In treating with this condition, it is to be borne in mind the lirst 

 thing necessary is to keep up the animal's strength. For this pur- 

 pose warm gruel, to which has been added an ounce of ground ginger 

 and half a pound of malt extract, may be given. Clothe the animal well 

 with rugs so as to keep as much cold from the patient as possible. 

 Keep the bowels open with a mild laxative. Irrigate the uterus 

 freely with the antiseptics previously mentioned, and if necessary 

 remove gently the after-birth, or such portions of it as can be reached 

 freely by manual exploration. Should the placenta show no signs of 

 passing off, give drachm doses occasionally of ergot. Where easily 

 procurable, great benefit will be derived from the administration of 

 ale or g-ood wine Avhen the animal is in a weak state and unable to 

 get up. Attention to these matters will prevent an attack of metro- 

 peritonitis and perhaps be the means of saving the life of the animal. 



Conclusion. 



Before closing this brief paper, attention should be drawn to the 

 fact that when a cow is down with any of these ailments the animal 

 should be repeatedly turned from side to side and the limbs freely 

 rubbed. Considerable benefit may be obtained by fomentations of 

 hot water over the loins, but it must be remembered that every 

 precaution must be adopted to prevent the animal catching cold in 

 that region. Before manual exploration of the rectum or vagina, the 

 hand and arm should be well washed with water as hot as can be 

 borne, it should then be well smeared with carbolic oil or immersed in 

 a 2 per cent, solution of lysol. Great care should be taken that the 

 nails are cut short as wounds may be inflicted by them on the vagina 

 or rectum. Often the bladder nuiy be relieved by gentle manipu- 

 lation of the neck of the bladder, and, by introducing the finger into 

 the point of the neck at the same time giving the hand a half-turn 

 over, the urine will be released from that organ. 



When the life of a valuable dairy cow is at stake, owners should 

 lose no time in calling in the services of a qualified veterinary 



