280 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Where the cow has access to good pasture with plenty of 

 spring-water she needs little or no attention until two or three 

 days before calving. If she has secluded, shady and otherwise 

 comfortable quarters separate from the other cattle, and is care- 

 fully watched by an attendant, she may need no other attention 

 until after the calf is dropped. Sometimes luxuriant pastures 

 will stimulate heavy milkers to produce too much milk prior to 

 calving, in which case the supply of feed should be reduced, and 

 in extreme cases the milk removed before calving. 



When kept on dry feed care should be taken to provide 

 plenty of succulence. Ensilage and roots serve an excellent pur- 

 pose, the object being to keep the bowels loose. When alfalfa 

 or clover hay is used for roughness very little grain is necessary. 

 With less nitrogenous rough feeds, a grain mixture of two-thirds 

 bran and one-third oil-meal is excellent. Soy beans may be used 

 as a substitute for oil-meal. 



Care of Cow and Calf at Calving. In cool or cold 

 weather the cow should be placed in a box stall, well lighted, with 

 plenty of ventilation. When the calf is dropped it is well to 

 blanket the cow until she regains her normal condition. In the 

 absence of anything better gunny-sacks sewed together will do 

 very well. Light, loosening feeds, water from which the chill 

 has been taken off, should be given. Cold water is liable to 

 cause contraction of the womb and retention of the afterbirth. 

 If the latter is not discharged in from twenty-four to forty-eight 

 hours it should be removed. If the udder is heated and caked 

 it is advisable to milk the cow frequently, though not quite dry, 

 and the udder should be steamed by rubbing with a flannel cloth 

 dipped in as hot water as the hand will bear, after which the 

 udder should be rubbed dry, and treated with camphor, olive oil, 

 or camphorated vaseline. If there are any signs of constipation, 

 it is well to administer from one and one-half to two pounds of 

 Epsom salts dissolved in water. All these points will aid ma- 

 terially in keeping the cow in a good, healthy condition, and 

 consequently give the calf a good, healthy start. 



