DISEASES.] 



CATTLE, AND THEIE VAEIETIES. 



[diseases. 



verandali. It should also have a double roof, 

 and abundant top and side ventilation — either 

 of which should admit of being closed. It is 

 niecessary to have in it a pump, and the floor 

 sloping. On the highest part, a perforated pipe 

 should be connected with the pump, to allow 

 of the cleansing of the floor, when necessary, 

 with cold spring water. Tho bowls should 

 either be earthenware or glass dishes, placed 

 upon wooden tables — fir, maple, or sycamore 

 being the best— or leaden bowls may be used. 



placed on frames, and surrounding the dairy. 

 Slates are the best for the floors ; and a lining 

 for the walls, of white pottery, is not only 

 elegant, but useful. A pipe, connected with 

 the boiler attached to the kitchen fire, with a 

 stop-cock, so as to regulate the heat of the 

 room in winter, is a great advantage. The 

 scalding and churning-rooms should be dis- 

 tinct from the milk-house, and the latter should 

 be kept as free as possible from all kinds of 

 foreign matter." 



CHAPTER VI. 



DISEASES OF CATTLE, AND THEIR REMEDIES. 



Theee is no part of our subject capable of 

 giving less satisfaction than that which treats 

 of the diseases of cattle, inasmuch as it is very 

 difiicult to know what is the precise nature of 

 the complaint with which any dumb animal 

 may be afflicted, and therefore it is surrounded 

 with a darkness which cannot be dissipated 

 without both an enlarged and an enlightened 

 experience. The extremes of temperature, or 

 the sudden transitions from heat to cold, are 

 frequently the causes of disease in young cattle. 

 It is, in many parts, a common practice to tie 

 up animals, of different ages, in the winter, 

 with the view of depasturing them in the fol- 

 lowing spring. Generally speaking, cattle 

 buildings are quite inadequate for such a pur- 

 pose. They are frequently in a wretched con- 

 dition ; there is seldom drainage for the liquid 

 matters below, or free ventilation for the exit 

 of foul aerial matters above. Such a condition 

 of things may do for fattening beasts, because 

 in such a warm, close atmosphere, the respira- 

 tion is but little exercised, and, the blood being 

 but imperfectly decarbonised, fat will more 

 readily accumulate. Under such conditions 

 the vital processes naturally become weakened, 

 without, perhaps, disturbing any particular 

 organ ; and, on the cattle being turned from 

 their warm quarters in the spring into the 

 open fields — oftentimes, too, with very little 

 G84 



hair on their backs — for, from the hot-house 

 system of management which they have under- 

 gone, they are prematurely preparing to put 

 on their summer coats — disease is induced in 

 various ways. The sudden transition from 

 heat to cold produces internal congestion, of 

 the liver in particular, which has been stimu- 

 lated throughout the winter with highly car- 

 bonised blood ; and, hence, diarrhoea and dysen- 

 tery are a common occurrence. Catarrh is 

 also produced from the same influence, and 

 sometimes bronchitis, which is a highly dan- 

 gerous disease, and requires prompt attention, 

 and all the aid that veterinary skill can afford. 

 AVhen the disease reaches the bronchi, the 

 cough has a frequently painful husky sound, 

 and is easily recognised by the anxious, haggard 

 look, and rapid laborious breathing which the 

 poor animal exhibits. In favourable contrast 

 to this mode of wintering store-cattle, is 

 that of keeping them in small yards, having 

 comfortable roomy sheds attached, where they 

 are sorted, according to age, and supplied 

 with a fair allowance of roots, hay, cake, or 

 corn. — In cases of consumption and chronic 

 diarrhoea, there is generally an hereditary 

 taint; and breeders should beware of breed- 

 ing from stock having such predispositions. 

 It is also a very i-eprehensible practice to 

 rear calves on skimmed milk, or to supply 



