DISEASES OF COWS. 429 



blood is out of order, will usually quickly restore the 

 animal to better health. The exercise of precaution, 

 however, in feeding, watering, securing pure air, and 

 protection against the rigors of the weather, such as have 

 been suggested in previous chapters, will generally be 

 sufficient to keep a herd in such good kealth that an 

 occasional dose of the simple medicines above mentioned 

 will be all that may be needed, except on unusual occa- 

 sions, when, from unforeseen circumstances, more serious 

 disorders may invade the herd. In the dairy these dis- 

 orders will be chiefly those which appertain to calving 

 and which occur immediately before or subsequent to 

 this interesting event, which consequently calls for more 

 than usual foresight and preparatory precautions. 



Usually the common diseases of this class are inflam- 

 matory in their character, and are due to a too high or a 

 too low condition ; in either case the natural functions 

 are interfered with, and a disturbance of the circula- 

 tion results. They are usually serious, and some, as 

 milk fever, are often fatal, consequently the utmost pre- 

 cautions should be taken for a month or two before the 

 period of calving arrives. During this time the feeding 

 should be simple but nutritious ; no stimulating food 

 should be given ; grass or green fodder in the summer 

 and good hay and roots in the winter, but no grain food, 

 should be the fare, and every possible care should be 

 exercised to avoid fatigue, nervous excitement, worry 

 or violent usage. The management of the cow pre- 

 vious to calving should be such as is recommended in 

 Chapter XIII. It is to the observance of this careful 

 management that the author attributes his exemption 

 from all trouble in his dairy for over twenty years, in 

 which he has never had a sick cow, or an abnormal calv- 

 ing, or lost a calf, or had any animal injured in the 

 slightest degree. 



