\ 

 UNIVERSITY 



OF ARIZONA 

 AGRICULTURAL 

 EXPERIMENT STATION 



TIMELY HINTS FORFARMERS 



No. 125 



MARCH 15, 1917 



GARGET OR MAMMITIS IN COWS 



This disease is known as caked udder or inflammation of the mam- 

 mary glands. It frequently occurs at the time of calving or just after, 

 but it may appear at any time during the lactation period. The disease 

 is very prevalent among dairy cows throughout the United States. 

 The Southwest seems to be especially troubled with it. As a rule 

 the better milkers seem to be most affected. Thus thirteen cases of 

 garget, two of them of a serious nature, were reported among the cows 

 held in quarantine after the National Dairy Show at Chicago in 1914. 



Garget injures cows by causing inflammation and increase of tem- 

 perature. A severe attack is almost certain to destroy a portion of the 

 secreting structure of the udder. This may result in a complete los> 

 of a quarter or more of the cow's udder. Frequently, however, the 

 disease assumes the chronic form, when there are periodic spells that 

 the milk is unfit for use. Cows seldom recover the complete functions 

 of the affected parts and many of them are rendered unprofitable. 

 The effect of mammitis depends upon its severity, the resistance of 

 the animal and the treatment given. As a rule the disease is in a mild 

 form and no especial effects can be traced to it except that the milk 

 flow is decreased. On the other hand the whole udder may become 

 affected and the animal may die or be ruined for milk. Where the 

 inflammation is great there is probability of a portion of the udder 

 being ruined permanently although a cow may regain almost normal 

 condition at the next lactation period. Sometimes the poison is so 

 virulent that a quarter is broken down into pus. Such a quarter will 

 turn dark blue or black and most of it will slough out, leaving a deep 

 hollow in the udder which will rapidly heal. A cow will not give as 

 much milk from three quarters as she will from four and such annuals 

 should be discarded unless they are especially heavy producers or it is 

 desired to keep them for breeding purposes. 



