CATTLE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



1 8 s 



CATTLE, Poison* — In the early part 

 of the spring, and before the different 

 vegetables have attained their proper 

 growth and smell, cattle are liable to be 

 injured, and even destroyed, by eating 

 poisonous plants; and especially when 

 they are turned into fresh pasture. In 

 some countries, and in some seasons, 

 when particular plants have prevailed, a 

 great many cattle have been lost, and it 

 has appeared as if some epidemic disease 

 was raging, until a botanist, accidentally 

 coming into that part of the country, has 

 discovered the true cause of the malady. 

 It is a great pity that farmers and graziers 

 are not sufficiently acquainted with bota- 

 ny to know the different plants, whole- 

 some and poisonous, that are growing in 

 their fields. 



Some have thought that cattle are poi- 

 soned by drinking from stagnant pools, 

 full of venomous insects and of every 

 kind of decomposition from animal and 

 vegetable substances. We doubt the truth 

 of this; for the cow seems to be natu- 

 rally one of the foulest drinkers among 

 our domesticated quadrupeds. She will 

 often choose the most filthy puddle in the 

 straw-yard in preference to the clearest 

 running stream. Nature would not have 

 given her this propensity for foul and pu- 

 trid drink if was prejudicial to her. 



The symptoms of empoisonment vary 

 with the plant that has been devoured. 

 In general the animal moans sadly, as if 

 in dreadful pain; or a sudden stupidity 

 comes upon it — or violent convulsions. 

 After eating the yew-clippings, cattle 

 are often perfectly delirious; and in 

 almost every case the belly more rapidly 

 swells than it usually does in hoove. 



It is plain that there can be no case in 

 which more speedy and decisive measures 

 are needed; and yet very little can be 

 done, except that useful instrument, far 

 too little known, Read's patent pump, is 

 at hand. The pipe should be introduced 

 into the paunch, so that the extricated 

 gas which causes the swelling may escape. 

 After this a quantity of warm water 

 should be thrown into the stomach, suffi- 

 cient to cause sickness, and thus get rid 

 of a part, at least, of the offending matter. 

 Then, by introducing the pipe only a 

 part of the way down the gullet, a physic- 

 drink may be gradually introduced, which 

 will thus pass on to the fourth stomach, 



and cause speedy purging. The Strong 

 Physic Drink (See No. 47, Domestic 

 Animals, Medicines for), will be the 

 most effectual purgative. It will usually 

 be advisable to bleed moderately ; drinks 

 of vinegar and water, not exceeding half 

 a pint of vinegar at a time, should be 

 administered if it is suspected that the 

 poison is of a narcotic kind, and the 

 purging should be kept up by repeated 

 small doses of the aperient medicine. 

 When the poison seems to be nearly 

 evacuated, the Cordial Drink, No. 31, 

 will be beneficial in giving to the 

 stomach. 



Cattle are exposed too much to the 

 influence of poisons of another kind, used 

 under the form of medicines. Corrosive 

 sublimate and tobacco-water have de- 

 stroyed many a valuable ox. An antidote 

 is in these cases usually quite out of the 

 question, for the constitution is fatally 

 affected before the owner knows anything 

 of the matter. 



Cattle in the neighborhood of lead- 

 mines have been dangerously affected 

 from the effects of this ore in the grass. 

 Difficult respiration with loud wheezing 

 is one of the most prominent symptoms, 

 the beast losing its appetite, pining away, 

 and at length dying of suffocation or 

 attacked by epileptic symptoms. Large 

 doses of Epsom or Glauber's salts with 

 linseed oil, and followed by opium, are 

 the best remedies. The smoke from 

 copper-mines has also produced sad dis- 

 ease amongst animals in the neighbor- 

 hood; it causes swellings of the joints of 

 a painful description. An early removali 

 to another soil forms the best treatment. 



Ranking under the general term of 

 poisons, we may mention the bites of 

 venomous reptiles. The beast is generally 

 stung about the head or feet, for it is 

 most likely to disturb these reptiles either 

 in the act of browsing, or as it wanders 

 over the pasture. Cattle bitten in the 

 tongue almost invariably die. They are 

 suffocated by the rapid swelling which 

 takes place. The udder has occasionally 

 been stung; but the supposed bites on 

 the teats are, far oftener than otherwise,. 

 the effect of garget. 



The country remedy is not a bad one r 

 viz., to rub the part well with a bruised 

 onion. Some follow this up by cramming 

 another onion down the throat. A better 



