AGRICULTURAL EXPERDIENT STATION. 263 



enable them to contend more successfully with what many of them 

 recognize as one of their most invincible enemies. 



This disease, that, with scarcely any warning, attacks the best 

 cows in a herd, and in spite of everything that is done for the 

 animals* relief, almost always proves fatal, so that many have the 

 impression thafit is incurable, may possibly be robbed of some of 

 its terrors, if a little light can be thrown' upon the causes that 

 bring it about and the way it may be prevented. After every- 

 thing is said that can be said there will still be many points left 

 in obscurity, for the most careful observers are not entirely agreed 

 as to the nature and causes of the disease, but enough is known 

 to prevent most of the loss that it now occasions. ■ 



Many cows are said to have "milk fever" when they are really 

 suffering from an entirely different trouble, but making all due 

 allowance for false reports, the fact remains that "milk fever" 

 occasions much mjre loss among our diary stock in this State than 

 any other disease. The loss is aggravated by the fact that it is 

 the very best cows that have the disease, and they are always 

 affected at the most profitable period of their lives. 



Parturient apoplexy is a disease peculiar to cows. A few 

 cases have been reported in mares and goats but evidence is lack- 

 ing to show that they were genuine cases. Only cows that are 

 large milkers and have arrived at their full maturity are affected. 

 Thei'e is no evidence that there is any other general predisposing 

 cause of parturient apoplexy besides the excessive development 

 of the milk producing qualities. There are particular breeds 

 that seem to be predisposed but these are notably the 

 great milk producing breeds, Prof. Thomassen writing from 

 Utrecht, Holland, says that in the district wtiere he has practiced, 

 parturient apoplexy was absolutely unknown forty years ago. 

 At about that time, in order to improve the stock of the country, 

 they commenced to import Holsteins from the northern prairies. 

 With the bringing in of these great milk producing animals par- 

 turient apoplexy became common. In other countries the same 

 observation has been made. Increased liability of loss from this 

 disease is part of the price that is everywhere paid for cows of 

 great milk producing capacity. But this liability is limited to 

 such a short period of time that we can well afford to take the 

 necessary precaution to protect the cows from its effects. Cows 

 seldom suffer from parturient apoplexy until they have their third 

 calf, and it always affects them within a week of cilving. U 



3 B 



