298 CATTlyB. 



DISEASES OF CATTLE AND THEIR REMEDIES. 



Almost all the diseases of cattle, arise either from exposure to wet and 

 cold weather; from their food being of a bad quality; or deficient in 

 quantity; or from being changed too suddenly from poor, unwholesome 

 keep, to rich pasture. 



Cattle in their native state are almost free from diseases, but man, 

 breeding with some particular object in view, has often weakened the 

 constitutions of the breed, and that, together with their manner of feed- 

 ing and care, make them liable to disease. The following general facts 

 are appended to show the class of food and the manner of feeding that 

 may cause disordered digestion and other diseases. 



Coarse, fibrous hay overtaxes the digestive powers, irritates the mucous 

 surface of the stomachs and bowels, and may cause an inactive condi- 

 tion of the stomachs, or may lead to dysentery from its effect on 

 the bowels. 



Timothy hay, while good feed for horses, when fed to cattle that do 

 not have much exercise, will lead to constipation. Hay fed to cattle 

 should contain clover on account of its laxative effect, because this will 

 aid in keeping the bowels in a natural condition. 



Finely ground food, such as corn-meal and middlings, should not be 

 fed alone. They form in large balls in the stomach and resist the 

 action of the digestive fluids, often causing very severe attacks of 

 indigestion. Feed all finely ground grains on cut hay. 



Hay badly cured or often exposed to rain while drying, is innu- 

 tritions, and may produce inflammatory diseases of the stomach and 

 bowels. 



Ergot in hay, will produce gangreen of the extremities. If there is 

 a suspicion that there is ergot in the hay, feed roots to the cattle, as 

 they counteract in a measure the effect of the ergot. 



Rusty straw and musty oats will produce disease if fed to cattle. 



Smut on corn diminishes its nutritive qualities and cattle fed on 

 it lose in weight, sometimes ending in inflammation of the fourth 

 stomach, 



Frozen turnips and potatoes produce dangerous attacks of indigestion 

 when eaten by cattle. 



Grass wet by cold dew or rain, or covered with hoar-frost, is danger- 

 ous to cattle. 



Eating in excess in luxuriant pastures will produce indigestion. 



