CATTLE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



CATTLB, Dysentery, Slimy Flux or 

 scouring Bot. — It just has been observed 

 that this disease is most prevalent in the 

 spring and autumn, particularly in low, 

 wet and swampy situations. It is one of 

 the most fatal diseases to which oxen, and 

 dairy cows in particular are subject, and 

 destroys more than any other malady. 



It begins with frequent and painful ef- 

 forts to expel the dung, which is thin, 

 slimy, stinking and olive-colored. The 

 animal, as appears from his restless state, 

 suffers much pain, frequently lying down 

 and soon rising again. There is "lalso a 

 frequent noise in the intestines. If the 

 disease is neglected, or improperly treat- 

 ed, the beast gradually gets thin, although 

 for a while he retains his appetite, and 

 continues to ruminate ; at length he evi- 

 dently begins to get weak, rumination is 

 imperfectly performed and the food passes 

 from him half digested. As this disease 

 is often the consequence of a previous af- 

 fection of the liver, considerable tender- 

 ness will be discovered on the spine, a lit- 

 tle beyond the shoulders. This is one of 

 the methods, and a very good one, by 

 which the farmer endeavors to ascertain 

 whether a beast which he is thinking of 

 purchasing has the scouring rot. As the 

 disease proceeds the dewlap hangs down 

 and has a flabby appearance ; the dung 

 runs off with a putrid and offensive smell, 

 and, as it falls upon the ground, rises up 

 in bubbles, and a membranous or skinny- 

 like substance is often seen upon it; this 

 is occasioned by the natural mucus, which 

 was given to defend the bowels, being dis- 

 charged. In proportion to the quantity 

 of mucus that mingles with the faeces, the 

 whole is rendered more adhesive, and the 

 bubbles are larger, and remain longer on 

 the dung. When this is the case the dis- 

 ease is always obstinate, and generally 

 fatal. The hair all over the body soon 

 appears pen-feathered or staring. Fever- 

 ish symptoms also accompany the com- 

 plaint; the eyes become dull and in- 

 flamed, there is much working of the 

 flanks, and the pulse is quick. 



The causes ot this dreadful malady are 

 — taking cold at the time of calving; 

 long journeys jj exposure to sudden vicis- 

 situdes of the weather; and, after being 

 over-heated in traveling, being turned into 

 damp pastures, etc. Poor keep is a very 

 frequent cause, and especially when con- 



nected with exhaustion from constant 

 milking; and it is more especially the 

 consequence of the cows being badly fed 

 in the winter. Some cold wet lands are 

 particularly liable to give the rot; yet 

 where the land and treatment are similar, 

 it prevails more in some dairies than in 

 others, depending much on the breed of 

 the cattle. Old cows that are fed on 

 sanded pastures are very subject to this 

 complaint. 



In all cases the animals should be 

 taken from grass and put into a large cow- 

 house, or an open yard, where they can 

 be sheltered from the weather, and kept 

 on dry food, such as good hay, ground 

 oats, barley and beans. An equal pro- 

 portion of each of the three last articles 

 and of linseed cake will make an excel- 

 lent food for cattle laboring under dysen- 

 tery. A quantity proportionate to the 

 size and appetite of the patients should 

 be given two or three times a day, or if 

 they are much reduced and their appetite 

 is quite gone, a thick gruel should be 

 made of these ingredients, and adminis- 

 tered three or four times a day. 



This disease consists in inflammation 

 of the lining membrane of the large in- 

 testines. It will then be evident that 

 bleeding, proportioned to the suddenness 

 and violence of the attack, and the ap- 

 parent degree of fever, should be first re- 

 sorted to. 



If the eyes are inflamed, with heaving 

 of the flanks, and painful twitchings ot 

 the belly, accompanied by severe strain- 

 ing and apparent gripings in the expul- 

 sion ot the excrement, the abstraction of 

 blood is indispensable. 



The purgative drink No. 2 should 

 precede the use of every other medicine, 

 in whatever state the bowels may be. It 

 will prepare for the safer use of astring- 

 ents. In almost every case there will be 

 something in the bowels, which, if it did 

 not cause the disease, contributes to keep 

 it up. The proprietor of cattle, and he 

 who professes to treat their diseases, 

 should know that there can be nothing 

 more dangerous than to attempt suddenly 

 to stop a violent purging, especially one 

 that assumes the character of dysentery. 

 Let that which offends in the bowels be 

 first got rid of, and the disease will some- 

 times cease of itself, or, if it does not, 



