THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 335 



by harul are most liable, and the most dangerous period is the 

 first week or two after birth." 



As a preventive I should give the new-born calf (provided 

 he have no discharge from the bowels) a wine-glassful of castor 

 oil ; yet if the mother yield milk, and the calf immediately after 

 birth imbibes the same, there is no need of giving any medi- 

 cine. The object in giving castor oil is to purge off the 

 meconium — first excrement. The first flow of milk, however, 

 will meet the emergency, and it is only in cases of suspended 

 lacteal secretion, or in cases of acute garget, when the cow 

 cannot yield milk, that I recommend the castor oil. Should 

 the oil purge the calf too actively, twenty drops of the oil of 

 anise-seed or peppermint, may be given in half a pint of Hour 

 gruel. 



Should the animal be dangerously attacked, and the contrac- 

 tions of the tendinous structures violent, let the little creature 

 be placed in a warm bath for a few minutes ; then give him a 

 good rubbing with coarse towels, after which he will probably 

 do well. 



STEAMED AND COOKED FOOD FOR STOCK. 



In view of fattening neat stock, and augmenting the quantity 

 of milk in dairy cows, I recommend the use of steamed and 

 cooked food. 



It has been satisfactorily proved that fat cattle, of the best 

 quality, may be produced by feeding them on boiled food. 



Dr. Whitlaw says : " On one occasion, a number of cows 

 were selected from a large stock, for the express purpose of 

 making the trial ; they were such as appeared to be of the best 

 kind, and those that gave the richest milk. In order to ascer- 

 tain what particular food would produce the best milk, different 

 species of grass and clover were tried separately, and the qual- 

 ity and flavor of the butter were found to vary very much. 

 But what was of the most importance, many of the grasses 

 were found to be coated with silicia, or decomposed sand, too 

 hard and insoluble for the stomachs of cattle. In consequence 



