440 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XXXVIII. 



tricts. When the cow slinks, or slips her calf, it is often putrid before it is 

 brought forth, and the noisome odour which it emits, if it be allowed to 

 remain only during a short time in the field, has some sympathetic influence 

 on the other cows, which in a few days will perhaps cause several of them 

 to cast their calves prematurely. The herdsman should, therefore, 

 cautiously watch every appearance which may show the least danger of 

 abortion in any one of them, and immediately remove her from the rest : 

 the symptoms, as described by Mr. Youatt, are these : — 



" The cow is somewhat off her feed — rumination ceases — she is listless 

 and dull — the milk diminishes or dries up — the motions of the foetus become 

 more feeble, and at length cease altogether — there is a slight degree of 

 enlargement of the belly — there is a little staggering in her walk — when 

 she is down she lies longer than usual, and when she gets up she stands 

 for a longer time motionless. As the abortion approaches, a yellow or red 

 glairy fluid runs from the vagina, a symptom which rarely or never deceives 

 — her breathing becomes laborious, and slightly convulsive. The belly has 

 for several days lost its natural rotundity, and has been evidently falling — 

 fdie begins to moan — the pulse becomes small, wiry, and intermittent. At 

 length labour comes on, and is often attended with difficulty and danger. 



" When symptoms of abortion appear, the cow should be removed from 

 tlie pasture to a comfortable shed. If the discharge is glairy, but not 

 offensive, it may be presumed that the calf is not dead: this may be assured 

 by the motion of the foetus, and thus it is ])ossil)le that the abortion may 

 be yet avoided. She should then be copiously bled ; and a dose of physic 

 should be given immediately after bleeding. The physic beginning to 

 operate, half a drachm of opium and half an ounce of sweet spirit of nitre 

 should be administered. The animal should be kept quiet: gruel may be 

 allowed ; but nothing like those comfortable drinks which are generally 

 recommended by the cow-leech. 



" The treatment thus differs little from that of parturition : but should 

 the discharge be fetid, the natural conclusion will be that the foetus is 

 dead, and it must be got rid of as speedily as possible ; if fever exists, 

 blcedino- mav be requisite ; or, perchance, the aforesaid comfortable drink 

 may not be out of place." 



The next accident to which the cow is exposed, is that called " dropping 

 after calving ;" which is a local inflammation that generally occurs very 

 soon after the birth. It is denoted by the animal piteously lowing, becoming 

 restless, and heaving laboriously at the flanks. The udder becomes in- 

 flamed, accompanied by a considerable diminution of milk, and followed by 

 other svmptoms, which generally terminate in delirium and death. This 

 disease is naturally much dreaded, and no time should be lost in calling in 

 the cow-leech while it is yet manageable. If, however, one of competent 

 ability be not at hand, the farmer may safely follow the directions which 

 will be foimd in Youatt's " Cattle ;'' and we may justly observe, that this 

 portion of " The Farmer's Series" will not have been written in vain, if it 

 induces an earlier attention to the diseases of domesticated animals. 



REARING OF CALVES. 



The moment the calf is dropped, Nature teaches the cow to cleanse its 

 skin by licking off the slimy matter with which it is covered ; but if she 

 shows any disinclination to it, this may be got over by sprinkling a hand- 

 ful of common salt over it, after which she will generally perform this 

 necessary duty without farther delay. About an hour after the birth, it 

 is a common practice, among many farmers, to give half a pint of 



