174 THE NATURE AND TREATMENT OP 



inflammatory affections ; yet the food given to some cows in 

 this region, such as swill, brewer's grains, cornstalks, coarse 

 damaged hay, etc., is not suitable for pregnant cows; they 

 should have a mess of roots occasionally, and about a quart ot 

 meal aight and morning, which may be stirred in a bucket of 

 water, to which add a teaspoonful of salt ; a reasonable quantity 

 of good sweet hay should be allowed daily ; this will not only 

 keep the stomach distended to a healthy capacity, but will also 

 furnish matter for remastication, by which process a large 

 amount of saliva is secreted, and passes into the stomach, 

 where it operates on the food therein contained, as a powerful 

 digestor. 



A pregnant cow should never be confined to the cow-house, 

 for want of proper exercise induces plethora, and a plethoric 

 condition of the system retards the development of the foetus ; 

 hence the cow is very apt to go over her time. 



The pregnant animal needs, and must have, exercise ; it aids 

 in the circulation of blood through her system ; it brings the blood 

 oftener in contact with aeriating surfaces, and thus invigorates 

 it ; in short, the whole animal economy is benefited by exercise 

 in the open air. 



If the season of the year admits, the cow should be sent to 

 pasture ; here under the advantages arising from pure air, nat- 

 ural food, etc., she will get in fine condition, so that when the 

 period of calving arrives, she will be sti^ng and vigorous, and 

 can bring forth a healthy calf. 



It must be borne in mind, however, that the petted, stall-fed 

 cow, is not a safe subject to leave in the pasture at night ; the 

 cold, damp, ground and air, are apt to derange her health, there- 

 fore she should be housed at night and on stormy days. 



As regards milking the animal during pregnancy, it must de- 

 pend on circumstances ; a cow in good condition may be milked 

 longer than a poor one, and the poor, overmilked animal, must 

 "go dry," as the saying is, for a couple of months prior to 

 calving. 



Should a pregnant animal yield milk up to within a fortnight 

 of calving, she should have a few bran mashes, and the daily 



