336 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



The discharge being urine, it causes an irritation of the surrounding 

 skin. Chafing, which is another form of erythema, is occasionally 

 seen on the udder of cows from rubbing by the legs ; chafing between 

 the legs is not uncommon among fat steers. Chronic erythema is 

 found in the form of chapped teats of cows and chapped lips in 

 sucking calves. It frequently occurs in cows when they are turned 

 out in winter directly after milking, and in others from chafing by 

 the calf in sucking. Some cows are peculiarly subjects to sore teats. 

 The fissures when neglected in the early stage of formation become 

 deep, very painful, often bleeding at the slightest touch, and cause 

 the animal to become a kicker when milked in that condition. Occa- 

 sionally the lower portions of the legs become irritated and chapped 

 when, cattle are fed in a muddy or wet yard in winter, or if they are 

 compelled to wade through water in frosty weather. Another form 

 of erythema occurs in young cattle highly fed and closely stabled for 

 it long winter. The erythema appears in patches, and as it is most 

 common near the end of the winter it is known as the " spring erup- 

 tion " or " spring itch." 



Treatment. — In ordinary cases of erythema the removal of the 

 cause and the application of benzoated oxid of zinc ointment, car- 

 bolized cosmoline, or a mixture of creolin, 1 ounce to a pint of water, 

 applied a few times, will restore the skin to a healthy condition. 



When there are fissures the zinc ointment is the best. If at the 

 teats, a milk siphon (PI. XXIV, fig. 4) should be used instead of 

 milking by hand, and the calf, if there is one suckled, should be taken 

 away. When the calf's mouth is aft'ected it should be fed by hand. 

 When the legs are irritated or chapped, dry stabling for a few days 

 and the application of tar ointment will soon heal them. 



UETICAEIA (NETTLE RASH, OR SURFEIT). 



This is a mild inflammatory affection of the skin, characterized by 

 sudden development of patches of various sizes, from that of a nickel 

 to one as large as the hand. The patches of raised skin are marked 

 by an abrupt border and are irregular in form. All the swelling may 

 disappear in a few hours, or it may go away in one place and reappear 

 on another part of the body. It is always accompanied by a great 

 desire to rub the aifected part. In its simplest type, as just described, 

 it is never followed by any serous exudation or eruptions, unless the 

 surface of the skin becomes abraded from scratching or rubbing. 



Causes, — Derangements of the digestive organs are the most com- 

 mon causes, such as overloading the stomach when the animal is 

 turned out to graze in the spring, certain constituents of food, and 

 high feeding among fattening stock. When the kidneys are func- 

 tionally deranged, urticaria may appear. Spinal irritation and other 



