198 DAIRY CATTLE AND MILK PRODUCTION 



In considering scours, care should be taken first of all to 

 distinguish between common scours, due to indigestion, and 

 scours caused by navel infection. 



White Scours, or Calf Cholera. This trouble is quite 

 common with calves. It usually appears within one or two 

 days after birth. The calf is very sick from the beginning; 

 the eyes become sunken, and a common symptom, although 

 not always shown, is the passage of white, foul-smelling dung. 

 The calf usually dies within a short time. This is a con- 

 tagious germ disease, which gains access to the calf s body 

 through the navel soon after birth. The freshly broken 

 navel cord offers easy access to the system for the germs 

 responsible for the disease. An animal once affected rarely 

 recovers. If a calf has been affected with this disease in a 

 herd, the chance of other cases developing is much greater. 

 Often several cases occur in succession in a stall used for 

 calving purposes. The trouble may be avoided by making 

 sure that the calf is dropped in a clean stall, and that it is not 

 allowed to come in contact with dirt or manure, until the 

 cord is dry. If the herd is on pasture, it is best to allow 

 the cow to remain there until the calf is born. Infection 

 rarely occurs in the pasture. If the calf is born in the barn, 

 the only safe plan is to tie up the cord at birth, and to 

 apply a mild disinfectant, as a weak solution of creoline or 

 zenoleum. 



Scours from Indigestion. This is often a serious matter 

 in raising calves, as a bad case gives the calf a setback from 

 which it recovers very slowly. Each animal should be 

 watched closely for signs of indigestion. Often the first 

 sign is foul-smelling dung. On the first indications of dis- 

 order the ration should be cut down to one half the usual 



