FIFTIETH ANNUAL CONVENTION 103 



minutes the calf should be attempting to rise. Frequently 

 a strong, normal calf will be able to walk about before it is 

 an hour old. If the calf is unable to rise within two or 

 three hours it should be aided to its feet and given its fill 

 of milk from its mother. Both should then be permitted to 

 rest. Normally, a new-born calf will sleep a great deal of 

 the time for the first week. If prematurely born the calf 

 will usually sleep almost constantly until it reaches the age 

 of normal birth. It is important that both calf and mother 

 be well protected from adverse weather conditions as well 

 as the irritation due to the presence of other stock. 



Aseptic Procedure. 



Under the artificial surroundings of the modernly 

 housed dairy herd it is important, in the handling of ma- 

 ternity cases, that care be exercised to prevent both calf 

 and mother from developing infections. The chief trouble 

 encountered in this connection is that of navel infection 

 which results in the frequently observed irregularity among 

 calves known as "white scours/' 



In disinfecting the navel, prepare a 5 per cent solution 

 of liquor chesolis compound and fill a pint tin cup three- 

 fourths full of the mixture. Have an assistant lift the calf 

 free from the ground, in this way making it possible for the 

 navel to be submerged in the solution in the cup for two or 

 three minutes. Next, take a light, disinfected cord and tie 

 it securely around the navel, one and one-half inches below 

 the body. As a further precaution or in the absence of the 

 above treatment the exposed portion of the navel may be 

 painted with tincture of iodine. Such treatments should 

 guard the calves from all navel infection taking place after 

 birth of calf. 



It is quite generally agreed among experienced breed- 

 ers that in the presence of infectious abortion, navel infec- 

 tion may have taken place prior to birth and in such in- 

 stances the disinfecting of the navel subsequent to birth will 

 have little, if any, influence in preventing the development 

 of white scours. 



