DISEASES OF THE OX AND SHEEP. 



B75 



winter, with the view of economising, the owner had fed his cows 

 on barley chaff and straw, and in consequence their blood had 

 become poorer and poorer in quality, until symptoms of extreme 

 prostration and paralysis had at length set in, and doubtless all 

 would have soon succumbed, had this feeding been continued. 



Fig. 43. — Nervous Debility in Cows at the time of Parturition. 



The cow delineated in the above picture is the subject of nervous debility, 

 occurring about the time of parturition. This is a malady due to the functional 

 disorder alone, and it is not as a rule followed by death. Our artist has faith- 

 fully represented the characteristic appearances of this disease. The observer 

 will readily note, from the attitude of the cow, that she suffers from general 

 weakness and loss of nerve-power. She is represented as lying in a recumbent 

 posture in the field, but she has now no inclination for browsing on the grass 

 beside her, nor is she repi'esented as chewing the cud, a usual sign of undis- 

 turbed health in the case of niminating animals. She has no delight to move 

 leisurely in the luxuriant pasture, nor does the sweet woodland scenery attract 

 her gaze ; but she must needs lie still, the vigorous activity of health having 

 left her — let us hope only for a short time, and that her health will be restored 

 after having taken her with care and gentleness to a dry shed or ox-stall, nicely 

 bedded down with clean new straw, keeping her warm, attending to every want, 

 and administering such remedies as may be found advisable. 



Under a more generous regimen and the administration of tonics 

 and stimulants the animals made good recoveries. 



This particular form of anaemia occurring in "in-calvers," when 

 symptoms of paralysis set in, is termed pre-parturient paralysis ; 

 or paralysis occurring before parturition, and it is not at all 

 uncommon in under-fed cows. Other forms of anaemia, one very 

 rarely sees in Lincolnshire. Among sheep, especially breeding 

 anaemia is very frequently met with in some parts of 



