250 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



THE BLUB DISEASE ( CYANOSIS). 



This appearing in the calf at birth is due to the orifice between the 

 two auricles of the heart (foramen ovale) remaining too open, allowing 

 the nonaeratel (venous) blood to mix with the aerated (arterial) blood, 

 and it is beyond the reach of treatment. It is recognized by the blue- 

 ness of the eyes, nose, mouth, and other mucous membranes, the cold- 

 ness of the surface, and the extreme sensitiveness to cold. 



CONSTIPATION. 



At birth the bowels of the calf contain the meconium, a tenacious, 

 gluey, brownish yellow material largely derived from the liver, which 

 must be expelled before they can start their functions normally. The 

 first milk of the cow (colostrum, beestings), rich in albumen and 

 salts, is nature's laxative to expel this now offensive material and 

 should never be withheld from the calf. If, for lack of this, from the 

 dry feeding of the cow, or from any other cause, the calf is costive, 

 straining violently without passage, lying down and rising as in colic, 

 and failing in appetite, no time should be lost in giving relief by an 

 ounce dose of castor oil, assisting its action by injections of soapsuds 

 or oil. Whatever meconium is within reach of the finger should be 

 carefully removed. It is also important to give the cow a sloppy, laxa- 

 tive diet. 



INDIGESTION. 



This may occvr from many different causes, as costiveness; a too 

 liberal supply of milk; milk too rich; the furnishing of the milk of a 

 cow long after calving to a very young calf; allowing a calf to suck 

 the first milk of a cow that has been hunted, driven by road, shipped 

 by rail, or otherwise violently excited ; allowing the calf too long time 

 between meals, so that impelled by hunger it quickly overloads and 

 clogs the stomach; feeding from the pail milk that has been held over 

 in unwashed (unscalded) buckets, so that it is fermented and spoiled ; 

 feeding the milk of cows kept on unwholesome food; keeping the 

 calves in cold, damp, dark, filthy, or bad-smelling pens; feeding the 

 calves on artificial mixtures containing too much starchy matter; or 

 overfeeding the calves on artificial food that may be appropriate 

 enough in smaller amount. The licking of hair from themselves or 

 others and its formation into balls in the stomach will cause obstinate 

 indigestion in the calf. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms are dullness, indisposition to move, un- 

 easiness, eructations of gas from the stomach, sour breath, entire loss 

 of appetite, lying down and rising as if in pain, fullness of the abdo- 

 men, which gives out a drumlike sound when tapped with the fingers. 

 The costiveness may be marked at first, but soon it gives place to 

 diarrhea, by which the offensive matters may be carried off and health 



