556 Diseases occurring after Parturition in Coivs and Sheep. 



four hours. The calf may be allowed to suck as soon as its 

 strength will permit; but if, as is frequently the case in dairy 

 counties, the young animal is intended to be reared from the pail 

 as soon as dropped, the portion of milk left in the udder may 

 remain until the next milking without fear of any unpleasant 

 result. As diet, the cow may be allowed some warm bran-mash 

 and a moderate quantity of hay, but cut fodder and roots of all 

 kinds should be avoided during the first few days; if it be the 

 season of grass, she should be put up and restricted to the same 

 diet for the same period ; some extra shelter suitable to the season 

 of the year must also be afforded her at this time. 



Disease in its varied forms comes next to be considered ; and 

 the one most frequent of occurrence (affections of the udder 

 excepted), and most important on account of its fatality, is that 

 known by the various terms of " Milk Fever," " Dropping after 

 Calving," &c. 



Modern practitioners of Veterinary Medicine have designated 

 it Parturient Apoplexy ;" and as the name has reference to one 

 of the most prominent symptoms in connection with the process 

 which it follows, it is perhaps not inappropriate. 



The animal, however, that has dropped after calving, and is 

 unable again to rise, may yet present a variety of symptoms, only 

 some of which, or modified states of the same, are present in 

 different cases, and this difference will have a corresponding 

 influence upon the treatment. This disease will very rarely be 

 found to supervene upon difficult parturition ; on the contrary, 

 it usually selects for its victims those animals which have had an 

 unusually quick and easy delivery ; no breed is exempt from its 

 attack ; the Alderney has been said to have this immunity, but 

 such is not the fact ; it will however more frequently be met with 

 in the well-bred short-horn. Few cases occur in heifers, or at 

 the second calving ; the greater proportion are animals with their 

 fifth or sixth calf, but they are frequently attacked both before 

 and after these latter periods. Beasts with large udders, and 

 that are in the habit of yielding great quantities of milk, are more 

 particularly obnoxious to it ; the time of its occurrence after 

 calving varies from a few hours to three days, and it does some- 

 times make its appearance after a longer interval, but this is the 

 exception to the rule. The earliest symptoms are an appearance 

 of restlessness, shifting of the limbs, increased brightness of the 

 eye, and the dung is frequently evacuated ; then follows quick- 

 ened breathing, unsteadiness in the gait, and at length the animal 

 falls, makes one or two ineffectual attempts to rise, and then 

 gradually, and often rapidly, appear some or all of the symptoms 

 about to be noticed. In some cases the pulse will only average 

 from 55 to 60 beats in the minute, being full and steady, in fact 



