DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 283 



going .in heat, and by so doing they would grow larger, fatten 

 easier, and take on flesh faster. Dairy cows, for city purposes, 

 are sometimes spayed to keep them giving a good flow of milk 

 for two, three, or five years continuously. For these purposes 

 she should be spayed in her prime of life, and while giving her 

 greatest flow of milk. She should be in good health and in mod- 

 erate flesh, but never should be operated on while pregnant or 

 in heat. 



This operation in the cow is not a serious one, and if properly 

 performed, there is little danger to the life of the animal. The 

 operation may be performed in two ways, as in the mare, namely,, 

 by the flank or by the vagina. 



By the vagina operation is meant, to insert the hand into the 

 vagina and by cutting a hole through the upper part of the 

 vagina near the womb, the hand is inserted into the abdominal 

 cavity and the ovaries (prides) found and brought into the va- 

 gina, where they are taken off by a pair of forceps made specially 

 for the purpose. This operation is less dangerous than the flank 

 operation, but it requires some costly instruments and a thor- 

 ough understanding of the anatomy of the parts before it can be 

 performed with safety and ease. 



In the flank operation, after the animal is secured, an incision 

 is made in the left flank large enough to insert the hand and 

 arm. The ovaries can be found by finding the womb and then 

 tracing it up, one ovary being found at the end of each of the- 

 two branches of the womb. When found they should be drawn, 

 out, one at a time, and removed with the ecrasure. The wound 

 should be closed by strong silk or linen thread, being first 

 cleansed with clean water containing a little carbolic acid. It is 

 very important that the instruments and hands of the operator 

 should be perfectly clean, as the animal could be very easily in- 

 oculated with some poisonous germs adhering to them. The in- 

 struments should be scalded with boiling water each time before 

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