DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF CATTLE 359 



For after-treatment feed light food, give lukewarm water 

 to drink and principally mashes to eat for a few days, so as 

 to allow the stomach to have a rest. When very much 

 bloated and in danger of its life, perform the operation of 

 tapping. 



Tapping. — Cut a small hole in the skin on the left side 

 midway between the point of the hip bone and the last rib, 

 and about four inches down from the back bone. After the 

 hole is cut in the skin take a trocar and cannula and run 

 them downward and inward, pull out the trocar and leave 

 the cannula in. This allows the gas to come spouting out 

 of the cannula. Leave the cannula in for an hour or so until 

 the bloating has disappeared, then pull it out and allow the 

 hole to heal of its own accord. 



A trocar and cannula is a very useful outfit to have on 

 hand and may be the means of saving many times its price 

 in cases of emergency. See appended announcement. 



Should the instrument not be on hand use a penknife, 

 inserting it at the same point as that indicated for using the 

 cannula. 



9. Impaction of the Rumen, or Paunch, With Food. 



Impaction is a condition in which the rumen, or paunch, 

 becomes so full of food that it is unable to force it along its 

 natural course. 



Causes. — Feeding poor food, straw and such like. (The 

 animal takes a large feed, and the walls of the stomach being 

 weak are unable to force the food forward in its natural 

 course.) A large feed of over-ripe grass, getting loose and 

 getting a large feed of any kind of food that the animal is 

 not used to, and feeding fattening cattle too heavily are 

 among the causes most frequently met with. 



Symptoms. — In some cases the animal is slightly bloated, 

 while in other cases there is no bloating at all. He seems 

 uneasy, and makes a peculiar grunt or groan nearly every 

 time he breathes. If a cow, and milking, the flow of milk 

 falls away in one night. The nose is dry. The breathing 

 and pulse are quicker than natural, and the animal gets up 

 and down once in a while, and does not take much food or 

 water. Press on the left side, over the paunch, or rumen. 

 It is hard and full of food. The dent made with the finger 

 remains for some time. Tap with the finger over the stomach. 



