36 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



way the feeding of the milch cow is made easier, and expenses 

 diminished, as they do not have to milk her. At this period 

 the calf develops most. In most cases the animal goes dry 

 two to three months, while in persistent milkers the period of 

 dryness is only four weeks. There are also ca.ses where the 

 animal milks from calf to calf. 



Shortly before birth, often only in the preparatory stage, 

 the so-called springing of the udder takes place. With primi- 

 paisB, the udder begins to develop two or three months before 

 the end of gestation. When this occurs in the two or three 

 year old heifer, with no further rutting after coition, one may be 

 reasonably certain of pregnancy. In the udder of the primi- 

 para one finds, during the second half of gestation, a yellowish, 

 viscid, glutinous liquid. Many dealers look upon it as a 

 criterion of pregnancy when obtaining such a liquid from a 

 heifer. Nevertheless, it is not a positive sign. I have ob- 

 served several times that virgin heifers when sucked by calves 

 give milk ; but the secretion in these instances is not yellow 

 and sticky, but white and milky. 



About four to six weeks before the termination of preg- 

 nancy, according to Franck, the urine of many cows contains 

 albumen, which disappears a few days after birth. Albrecht's 

 investigations are negative in this respect. I have never 

 found albumen in urine of pregnant cows. 



EXAMINATION FOR PREGNANCY. 



The presence of pregnancy in the cow is established 

 by considering and combining the previously mentioned phe- 

 nomena. A positive diagnosis as to pregnancy can only be 

 made by appreciating symptoms induced by the foetus, or 

 by local examination. This examination may be an external 

 or internal one. 



The external examination comprises palpation of the 

 abdomen, foetal movements, examination of the udder and 

 obstetric auscultation. 



By palpation we intend to establish the presence of the 

 foetus in the right lower abdominal region. For this purpose, 



