CARE AND FEEDING OF DAIRY CATTLE. 



43 



judge from outside appearances whether an animal is tuberculous or not, except in 

 extreme cases. A cow may be apparently sound and in good flesh, and yet have one 

 or more organs badly affected. The only reliable means of identifying tuberculous 

 animals is by the tuberculin test, which is applied free of charge by veterinarians 

 attached to the Provincial Department of Agriculture. Apart from the question of 

 human health, it pays a dairy-farmer to apply the test and get rid of affected cows, 

 which are a source of contamination and loss. 



Tuberculosis may attack almost any part of the body of the animal. Often the 

 lungs are affected. When the bowels are attacked the discharge may be frothy and 

 evil-smelling. When deep-seated glands are affected, perhaps no external sign may 

 be noticed. The udder is sometimes affected, and also the joints. 



Suspects should be isolated. The 

 germs are transmitted by the slobber 

 on the mangers, in the drinking- 

 water, or by means of the dung, 

 which when dry is scattered about 

 as dust. Calves may become infected 

 by drinking tuberculous milk. Hogs 

 may contract the disease from cows 

 in the same way. This is a most 

 insidious disease, often working its 

 effects unseen. An animal apparently 

 healthy may be spreading the germs 

 of the disease broadcast, unless the 

 tuberculin test is used periodically 

 to discover such cases. Once the 

 herd is free from this disease it can 

 be easily kept so, each new addition 

 being also tested before being added 

 to the herd. The whole herd should 

 be tuberculin-tested at least once a 



MILK-FEVER. 



This used to be one of the most 

 fatal diseases of milk cows, but the 

 discovery of the air treatment in 

 recent years has robbed the disease 

 of most of its terrors. A heifer 

 seldom has this trouble. It mostly 

 attacks the best milkers among the 

 mature cows. 



An attack of milk-fever usually 

 comes on within forty-eight hours 

 after calving. The cow first appears 

 restless and excited. In a short time 



Cow's teeth arranged according to age. (These 

 are the Incisor teeth in the lower jaw. Upper 

 jaw has no incisors.) From top to bottom: 12 

 months, 18 months, 27 months, 36 months, 45 

 months, and 10 years of age. 



the hind legs become paralyzed and the animal soon falls down. She becomes 

 unconscious and will die in from one to two days unless treated. The position 

 assumed by the unconscious animal is characteristic of the disease. The head is 

 turned sideways, with the nose pointing towards the flank, and the. whole body is 

 paralyzed. 



No medicine must be given by way of the mouth, as the muscles of the throat 

 are paralyzed and there is great danger of choking the cow. Pumping the udder 

 full of air is the remedy. Where the special apparatus, costing about $3, is not on 

 hand, a home-made arrangement can easily be put together. Some have even used 

 successfully such a crude affair as a bicycle-pump with a quill for a milk-tube, but 



