G AR G ET. 71 



A little of this should be rubbed on the teats mornino^ and nig-ht after 

 milking- ; and if the flies tease the animal much, a small quantity of 

 aloes or assafoetida may be mixed with the ointment. The latter is 

 the more eflfectual, but its smell is very unpleasant. 



The teats are sometimes so sore that it is necessary to hobble the 

 cow, in order to make her stand ; but this is seldom effectual ; for the 

 legs of the cow get sore, and she kicks worse than ever. Kindness 

 and patience are the best remedies. It is never of any use to beat or 

 ill-use a cow for this fidgetiness at milking. She will either at the 

 time do mischief in return, or she will at some other opportunity take 

 her revenge. 



There is another variety of disease to which the udder of cows is 

 liable, somewhat different from that described : in Scotland it is 

 termed Weeds. It is attended by considerable fever and constitutional 

 disturbance, commencing with a shivering fit, which, after some hours, 

 is succeeded by a hot fit, in which all the symptoms of fever are pre- 

 sent, — the cow hangs her head and refuses to feed, and the udder is 

 painful, hot, and swollen. If relief is not soon obtained, an abscess 

 forms, and one or more quarters become cold, black, and insensible ; 

 the udder becomes disoro-anized, and the animal is lost. 



The first thing to be done is to administer a warm stimulant, such 



as — 



RECIPE (No. 28). 



Take, ginjrer powdered, half an ounce; caraway-seeds, six drams; allspice, half an 

 ounce: in a quart of warm water or mild ale. 



Sometimes this draught alone will effect a cure, but the body 

 should be clothed and the cow well nursed. On the following day, 

 if the bowels are constipated and the cow appears dull, a purgative 

 should be given. The udder must be fomented with warm water for 

 an hour at a time, several times a day, and if it is much swollen, it 

 should be suspended with cloths passing over the loinf . It may also 

 be rubbed with a liniment composed of hartshorn and oil. It is of 

 much importance that the fomentations should be as hot a.s can be 

 borne, and applied in good earnest to the part affected, and for a long 

 time together. 



» 



f CHAPTER XVI. 



TREATMENT OF THE COW BEFORE AXD DURING CALVING. 



It is an old and true saying, and the truth of it is nowhere" more 

 evident than in the treatment of the milch-cow, that the prevention 

 of an evil is better than the cure. The difficulty of calving, and the 

 mortality afterwards, are in a great measure to be traced to the im- 

 proper management of the cow. So far as the udder is concerned. 



!*• 



