Alfalfa in Kansas. 421 



PREVENTION. Animals should never be turned into a field of alfalfa, 

 clover, etc., when the latter is wet with dew or frost. If animals have 

 been accustomed to other feed than a succulent green feed they should 

 gradually be accustomed to new feed by turning them out into the field 

 for the first few days for from one-half to one hour periods, and they 

 should be herded so as to detect the bloating at its onset. Doctor Schoen- 

 leber, of the Kansas State Agricultural College, recommends that the 

 animals be filled up on dry feed before turned out to pasture. These 

 precautions insure that only a small amount of the green feed will be 

 consumed. It is a peculiar fact that when animals have been gradually 

 accustomed to such feed they can consume large quantities of it, 

 wet or dry, without apparent ill results. Animals should never be fed 

 frozen turnips or other roots, but when these are the only source of 

 feed supply the feed for each day may be defrosted by being stored 

 inside for twenty-four hours or longer, and then fed sparingly. 



FIG. 356. Proper position of the operator when opening the paunch to permit the 

 escape of gas. The canula and trocar is passed into the rumen on the animal's left 

 side in the center of the hollow of the upper flank or at a point equally distant from 

 the last rib, the angle of the haunch and the backbone. 



CURATIVE TREATMENT. This depends largely upon the rapidity with 

 which the gas 'is forming in the paunch. In case the distention is so 

 severe as to threaten suffocation the animal should immediately 

 have the paunch opened from the outside. The instrument employed for 

 this purpose is spoken of as a cattle trocar and canula. It may be pur- 

 chased for about $1 through any retail druggist. All cattle owners 

 should have such an instrument constantly at hand. The instrument is 

 passed into the rumen on the animal's left side in the center of the 

 hollow of the upper flank, or at a point equally distant from the last 

 rib, the angle of the haunch and the backbone. (See Fig. 356.) If 



