Thirty-fourth Annual Convention. ^^^ 



Mastitis or Inflammation of the Udder. 



This disease is commonly known among dairymen as 



"garget." 



Symptoms. 



Unfavorable terminations of wounds, injuries, surgical 

 operations and congestion of the udder are frequent causes of 

 mastitis, while other causes are exposes to cold, sudden changes 

 of weather, improper milking, either by hand or machine, over 

 feeding on heavy feeds, such as cottonseed meal, peas, beans, 

 corn meal, moldy foods, etc., in fact, it may follow any systemic 

 disease of the cow when she is in heavy milking condition. 



The most prolific cause is germ infection through the teat or 

 through the blood or lymph streams. 



Symptoms. 



The symptoms depend on the cause of the disease. If it 

 follows wounds, injuries or operations all the symptoms mani- 

 fested in these lesions will become worse and should the disease 

 take on a severe form systemic symptoms would be manifest — ■ 

 elevated temperature, increased pulse, and possibly loss of appe- 

 tite. ,- While if it is the result of cold, exposure or overfeeding, 

 constitutional symptoms are the first to attract attention — such 

 as chills, fever, loss of appetite, arched back, staring coat. The 

 horns, ears, nose and legs alternately cold and hot. The udder 

 becomes swollen, hot and painful.. The milk may be tinged with 

 blood or almost entirely suppressed and containing clots of milk. 



Where the disease is due to germ infection usually one quar- 

 ter is attacked and the lesions are deeply located in the substance 

 of the gland. . The milk is flaky or contains clots or strings of 

 milk. On manipulation swollen, hard, painful areas are found, 

 deeply localized in the one quarter. 



There is a contagious mastitis due to a germ that may 

 attack one cow after another until the whole herd has become 

 affected. The symptoms are similar to those just described in 

 germ infection. The only way to positively diagnose this dis- 

 ease is by means of the microscope or to note that one cow after 

 another is attacked with the same lesions of the udder. 



Treatment. 



Where the inflammation is the result of wounds or injuries 

 the treatrnent recommended in these cases should be applied with 

 greater care, and thoroughness. If the disease is the result of 



