124 TO DRY A COW OF II E R MILK. 



the cruel burning- to the very bone, that will soonest and most per- 

 fectly effect a cure. 



In a few cases the foul in the foot cannot be traced to any external 

 injury, but seems to be the result of natural foulness of the habit. It 

 then resembles grease in the horse, and must be similarly treated. A 

 brisk dose of physic should be given, and when that has ceased to 

 operate, the Diuretic Drink (No. 26, p. 69) every morning. The 

 sores, if foul and hot, should be cleaned and cooled by poulticing- for 

 a few days, and then the feet should be washed morning and night 

 with a tolerably strong solution of alum in w^ater. A moderate bleed- 

 ing will be serviceable in such a case. It should not be foro-otten 

 that foul in the foot is a highl}'^ infectious disease, and that the lame 

 beast should be speedily removed from his companions. 



Foul in the foot is a most serious disease when it breaks out in a 

 dairy. It preys upon the health of the animal, and thus, to a degree 

 almost incredible, lessens the quantity of milk which the animal 

 yields. The grazier likewise severely sutfers when it retards the 

 fattening of his store-cattle. Much sutfering speedily and most inju- 

 riously preys upon these animals. They were not designed to endure 

 it, or to be exposed to the usual exciting causes of it. Lameness in 

 cattle should, therefore, never be for a moment neglected. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



TO DRY A cow OF HER MILK. 



It is often necessary to dry up the milk when cows are wanted 

 speedily to fatten, and this is now and then found to be a difhcuU 

 matter, especially with large and gross beasts. If the flow of milk is 

 suffered to continue, it may overload the udder, and produce inflam- 

 mation of it, or g-arg-et, or general fever, or inflammation of the lungs, 

 or foul in the foot. 



The best time to dry the cows is very early in the spring, when 

 they are eating dry meat. A g-ood dose of physic, followed by mild 

 astring-ent drinks, will usually settle the business, especially if she 

 is moderately bled before the physic is given. Alum in the form of 

 whey (No. 19, p. 61), or dissolved in water, will be the most effectual, 

 as well as the safest astrino-ent. Six drachms will be the medium 

 dose. The cow may be milked clean when the astringent is given, 

 and then turned on some dry upland pasture. 



Two days afterwards she should be exnmined, and if the udder is 

 not overloaded, nor hard nor hot, the milking may be discontinued; 

 but if the udder is hard and full, and especially if it is hot, she should 

 bo fetched home, cb^anly milked, and another astringent drink given. 

 'J'Ue third drink, if it is necesaury to give one, should bo an aperient 



