THE MORE COMMON AILMENTS OF CATTLE 445 



digestible fodder in the omasum, tliat is, the manifolds 

 of the stomach; (3) that it is in some way related to 

 hemorrhagic septicemia. There is much about it that 

 is perplexing, as in one field a severe outbreak will occur, 

 whereas in a field adjoining where cattle are grazed 

 under apparently the same condition, no harm follows. 

 The perplexity is increased by the fact that other ail- 

 ments sometimes afifect cattle that are being grazed in 

 cornstalk fields that are confused with cornstalk disease. 



The following are prominent among the symptoms 

 of cornstalk disease: (i) The atlected animal, when 

 attacked, remains isolated, assumes a peculiarly humped 

 position, is disinclined to move and when forced to do 

 so walks with an unsteady gait. (2) There is a wild 

 expression of the eye, a peculiar switching of the tail, 

 and frequent striking of the feet at the underline as 

 though in pain. (3) Then follows indication of delirium 

 accompanied by bellowing and moaning, in some in- 

 stances, the result, probably, of suffering, and these in- 

 dications are frequently taken for indications of rabies. 

 Death usually follows within 24 hours after the appear- 

 ance of the first symptoms. The disease is probably not 

 contagious. Many cases may occur in close succession 

 simply because the cattle have been subjected to the 

 same conditions. 



The losses from this disease in the corn-belt states 

 are serious, but more so some seasons than others. They 

 do not occur when the stalks have been harvested at the 

 proper season and are fed from the bundle. Notwith- 

 standing the extent of the losses, it is frequently con- 

 tended that it is better to endure it than to lose the food 

 in the stalks by leaving them ungrazed. 



Treatment has proved of so little avail that mean- 

 while it need not be considered as applicable to this 

 disease. Happily, however, preventive measures are 

 easily within reach. When the disease appears its fur- 

 ther progress may be at once checked by removing the 



