CATTLE DAIRY HUSBANDRY. 



winter in well-ventilated byres, or in open sheds, 

 and partially sheltered during summer, are usually 

 healthy. Certain breeds are naturally hardy, and 

 can be kept in the open air during the whole, or the 

 greater part, of the year ; such cattle are compara- 

 tively free of those diseases which are induced by 

 exposure to cold and wet. Cows confined to byres 

 during the whole season, and fed to repletion, to 

 induce an abundant flow of milk, are very liable 

 to diseases of the respiratory organs. Cattle, 

 when being fattened, are also subject to inflam- 

 matory attacks. Veterinary surgeons usually pre- 

 scribe bleeding and laxative medicines, and occa- 

 sionally tonics. Recent experience in the treat- 

 ment of inflammation of the lungs, particularly of 

 pleuro-pneumonia, has tended to shake confidence 

 in the curative effects of bleeding except when 

 taken at the very first stage soothing rather than 

 violent treatment being found the most successful. 

 The owners of stock who can obtain, within a 

 convenient distance, the services of an experienced 

 veterinary practitioner, should employ such, rather 

 than attempt to effect cures ; but as certain com- 

 plaints require prompt measures, the owners of 

 cattle should be sufficiently informed, so as to be 

 able to prescribe in such cases. All quacks and 

 nostrums should be eschewed, and the curative 

 power of nature relied on. To guide the non-pro- 

 fessional man, the following description of the 

 more common complaints of cattle is given : 



Choking. Cattle fed on bulbous roots, such as 

 turnips or mangold, are liable to accidents from 

 swallowing a portion of a root without its being 

 previously sufficiently masticated to pass down 

 the gullet into the stomach. The animal ceases 

 to eat, and stands apart from the rest of the herd. 

 Its distress, and the danger arising from the 

 impacted substance, are in proportion to its size, 

 form, and position in the gullet. When it is 

 fixed near the top, the discharge of saliva, 

 with efforts to regurgitate, is considerable. The 

 head is occasionally extended, and the ani- 

 mal coughs frequently. Thus, the obstruction 

 is sometimes moved, and relief afforded. When 

 the substance is fixed near to the entrance of the 

 stomach, the discharge of saliva, with eructations 

 and coughing, are usually absent In both cases, 

 the breathing and pulse become accelerated, and 

 unless the obstruction is displaced, there is con- 

 siderable danger. The abdomen gradually dis- 

 tends, respiration becomes laboured, the pain 

 increases, and the animal staggers, falls, and is 

 suffocated. To prevent this, means are taken to 

 force the substance downward into the stomach 

 by the use of a probang. This, for an ordinary- 

 sized animal, requires to be about six feet in 

 length, elastic, with a cupped knob on the end, 

 somewhat rounded at the edges. If the probang 

 is hollow, it admits of the escape of the gas. To 

 operate, at least two persons are required : one to 

 hold the head of the animal ; the other, to pass 

 the probang into the gullet and press the substance 

 into the stomach. Lard, butter, or oil should be 

 rubbed on the point of the probang ; the operator 

 taking hold of the probang, the tongue held with 

 the left hand, or the assistant taking the tongue 

 to one side, the probang being passed along the 

 roof of the mouth enters the gullet. As it reaches 

 the impacted body, firm but moderate pressure 

 should be used. In using the probang, the head 

 should be elevated, and kept in a straight line 



with the neck. When the resistance is great, 

 care should be taken not to force the end of the 

 probang past the obstructing substance, or to 

 injure the gullet The substance once moved 

 there is seldom any difficulty in forcing it down 

 into the stomach. As the length from the muzzle 

 to the entrance of the rumen is about six feet, the 

 probang should be passed downward within a few 

 inches of its entire length. Upon displacing the 

 impacted substance, the gases collected speedily 

 escape, and the swelling falls. Sometimes it is 

 necessary to puncture the rumen, to prevent suffo- 

 cation. When this is done, the probang seldom 

 requires to be used, as the obstructing body is 

 gradually softened, and afterwards passes into the 

 stomach. There are cases which can be relieved 

 by giving the animal a dose of linseed oil or salt 

 dissolved in water. But this treatment generally 

 causes great pain to the animal, and there is some 

 danger of a portion passing into the windpipe. 

 Neither the probang nor the trocar should be 

 used unless there appears to be considerable 

 danger, as there is always a liability to accidents 

 in operating. Animals which have once choked, 

 are liable to become again affected ; and for some 

 time they should have the roots grated, or other 

 food substituted. 



Hove. This disease occurs during all periods 

 of the year, but is more common in spring and 

 autumn. Hove, hoven, swollen, dew-blown, clover- 

 sickness, fog-sickness, are various terms by which 

 a distended rumen is known. Hove may arise 

 from a rapid swallowing of the food, followed by 

 the sudden repletion of the stomach; or it may 

 proceed from a deranged state of the digestive 

 organs. In either case, an evolution of gas takes 

 place, which, if not speedily neutralised or dis- 

 charged, causes death, generally by suffocation. 

 Sudden changes in diet sometimes cause the 

 disease. In spring, when animals which have 

 been confined to courts or byres, are turned 

 into fields where the herbage is luxuriant, with 

 much clover, they are liable to swell. The lia- 

 bility is increased when the grass is damp from 

 hoar-frost, dew, mist, or rain ; also when there 

 is a breeze more or less strong. In summer and 

 autumn, the danger is increased when the cattle 

 are placed upon second-crop clover, or allowed 

 to graze on stubbles where the young clovers 

 are advanced. Cattle getting into a field of beans 

 or peas, when these are in a succulent state of 

 growth, are liable to hove, particularly if the crop 

 is damp. Cows which are removed from their 

 pastures to be milked, are more liable to hove 

 than cattle allowed to remain at pasture. Hove 

 occurs occasionally during winter with cattle 

 being fattened on turnip. Sometimes it is brought 

 on by their eating Swedes which have been mil- 

 dewed. A diet of bean-meal along with turnip 

 generally increases the tendency to hove. The 

 disease is frequently sudden, in its attack, re- 

 quiring to be combated speedily, or the animal 

 may be lost. When the distention is not too 

 far advanced, ammonia in water, or lime-water, 

 should be given. Alcohol has also a good effect 

 Tar placed in an egg-shell, and passed by the 

 hand over the throat, usually gives relief. One 

 to two ounces of turpentine added to a quart- 

 bottle of linseed oil, or to salt-water strong enough 

 to float an egg in, generally reduces the swelling. 

 One ounce of hartshorn, with four drachms of 



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