DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF CATTLE 421 
ping purposes. Many claim that heifers do a great deal better 
after being spayed. 
The operation may be performed upon an animal at any 
age, although the best time is when she is a year old. It 
should not be performed before this time nor during the 
period of or (or a few months after pregnancy. 
The best plan is to operate on the left side just above the 
stomach or paunch, as owing to the situation of the paunch 
there is less danger of the bowels protruding from the in- 
cision that must of necessity be made. 
Prepare the heifers or cows by allowing nothing to eat 
for a few hours before commencing. This reduces to a min- 
imum the danger of being hurt during the operation. When 
many are to be spayed build a stanchion having solid sides 
to prevent the subject from swinging round. Make provision 
also for tying securely to prevent movement during the oper- 
ation. 
Select a point on the left side about three or four inches 
downward and forward from the point of the hip. Begin at 
this point and make an incision downward and forward suf- 
ficiently large enough to admit the hand. Before inserting 
the hand take extra precaution to see that it is thoroughly 
clean and disinfected by being well oiled with carbolized oil. 
Pass the hand through the incision back until the bladder is 
reached. Just above the bladder is situated the broad liga- 
ment and the womb. Pass the fingers along the follopian 
tube until the left ovary is reached. Draw this out sufficiently 
far enough and remove it with a spaying emasculator. Pro- 
ceed in exactly the same manner and remove the other ovary. 
Press the follopian tubes back to proper position. Sew up 
the incision with a couple of stitches and allow the animal 
to go. 
The operation of spaying may seem to be somewhat 
complicated, but with a little practice becomes very simple. 
We advise those intending to perform it or to make a busi- 
ness of it to examine carefully the organs mentioned in our 
description. This may be done at any slaughter house while 
a heifer is being killed. Examine the bladder, womb, fol- 
lopian tubes and ovaries and note the relative position of 
each. 
