112 DAIRY FARMING 



MILK 



Causes. Overfeeding, lack of exercise, impure air, 

 constipation, and drinking cold water are common causes 

 of milk fever. Withdrawing all the milk from the udder 

 during the first 24 hours after calving is claimed to be 

 conducive to the disease. Furthermore, heavy milkers 

 are far more subject to the disease than medium or small 

 milkers. 



Symptoms. Restlessness followed by a weakening of 

 the muscles, causing the animal finally to stagger and 

 fall. The cow usually lies on her breast bone with her 

 head completely drawn around to one side. The- udder 

 becomes soft and empty, pulse weak and rapid, the tem- 

 perature falls below normal, and the animal may become 

 completely unconscious. 



Treatment. Fortunately there is available now a very 

 simple, sure, and inexpensive treatment for milk fever. 

 The treatment consists in filling the udder with sterile 

 air by means of a syringe which draws the air through 

 a tube containing absorbent cotton. Such a syringe can 

 be obtained at very small cost from the manufacturers 

 who advertise extensively through the dairy press, and 

 every dairyman should possess one so as to be prepared 

 to meet emergencies promptly. 



Before injecting the air, the hands, teats, udder, and 

 the tube that is to be inserted into the teats, should be 

 carefully disinfected. This done, each quarter of the 

 udder is thoroughly inflated with air, kneading and rub- 

 bing the udder as much as possible during the process 

 to secure a thorough and rapid diffusion of the air. As 

 soon as each quarter is filled, a wide band is tied around 

 the top of the teat to prevent leakage of air. These 



