CHAPTER V/I. 



Practical Aid in Difficult Parturition 



THE TIME OF PARTURITION 



The time of parturition has arrived according to the breeding 

 book, which contains the record of service, etc. There are, however, 

 symptoms shown by the pregnant animals, which afford reHable indi- 

 cations of the nearness of the act. The sweUing of the external genitals 

 (vulva) enlargement of the udder, hollo wness of the rump, especially 

 in cows, of the space between the pin bones and the tail head, wax on 

 the teats in mares, a flow of milk, making of the bed by sows, glisten- 

 ing appearance of the udder, uneasiness, a desire for solitude, slight 

 pains gradually increasing, followed by the pushing forth of the water 

 bag and the possible escape of its contents show that labor is not only 

 close, but that it has started. 



DELIVERY 



If all goes well, the head and fore feet are presented (sometimes 

 the hind feet) and the voung animal is in a short time in a new world. 

 (See Fig. 49.) 



The natural delivery in mares is of short duration, only five to 

 fifteen minutes usually elapsing after extrusion of the water bag; the 

 cow may take one to two hours to deliver the calf, extending to that 

 many days. Ewes take about fifteen minutes to deliver or less, and if 

 twins are present the intervals between births may be from fifteen min- 

 utes to two hours or even days. Assistance should not be offered until 

 the water bag sliows. 



The sow takes a variable time to deliver, depending on the number 

 of pigs — may take from ten minutes to several hours. In natural cases 

 little assistance is needed, and when given should be of the right kind ; 

 the attendants should only apply traction when the young animal is in 

 the right position, and only when the expulsive effort is being made ; 

 the direction of the traction should be away from the back bone, that 

 is towards the hocks of the dam, downward if the animal is standing. 

 The foal is often born in its membranes, and should be released im- 

 mediately from them, especially about the head ; any mucus present 

 being removed from the mouth and nostrils. The membranes of the 



