DISEASES OF YOUNG CALVES. 



275 



respect the compact form, the healthy coat, the clear eye, and the bold, 

 active carriage, are desirable. Even the color of the hair is uot uuiin- 

 portant, as in the same herd I have found a far greater number of vic- 

 tims among the light colors (light yellow, light brown) than among 

 those of a darker tint. This constitutional predisposition to indigestion 

 and diarrhea is sometimes fostered by too close breeding, without tak 

 ing due account of the maintenance of a robust constitution, and hence 

 animals that are very much inbred need to be especially observed and 

 cared for unless their inherent vigor has been thoroughly attested. 



The surroundings of the calf are powerful influences. Calves kept 

 indoors suffer to a greater extent than those running in the open air and 

 having the invigorating influences of sunshine, pure air, and exercise. 

 But close, crowded, filthy, bad-smelling buildings are especially caus- 

 ative of the complaint. The presence in the air of carbon-dioxide, the 

 product of breathing, and of the fetid gaseous products of decompos- 

 ing dung and urine diminish by about one-fourth of their volume the 

 life-giving oxygen, and in the same ratio hinder the aeration of the 

 blood and the maintenance of vigorous health. Worse than this, such 

 fetid gases are usually direct poisons to the animal breathing them, 

 for example, sulphuretted hydrogen (hydrogen sulphide 2 SH 2 ), and vari- 

 ous alkaloids (ptomaines) and toxins (neutral poisonous principles) pro- 

 duced in the filth fermentations. These lower the general health and 

 stamina, impair digestion, and by leading to the accumulation in stom- 

 ach and bowels of undigested materials they lay the foundation for 

 offensive fermentations within these organs, and consequent irritation, 

 poisoning, and diarrhea. They further weaken the system so that it 

 can no longer resist and overcome the trouble. 



The condition of the nursing cow and her milk is another potent 

 cause of trouble. The food of the cow is important. The influence of 

 this is shown in the following tables: 



Becqucrel and Fcrnois. 



In these examples the deterioration of the milk in casein on the loss 

 nutritious winter feeding is very marked, although the relative amount 

 of butter remains almost unchanged. In the case of the goat tin- re- 

 sult is even more striking, the beet diet giving a very large decrease of 

 both casein and butter and an increase of milk sugar. 



