The Farmers Own Book 22

The Farmers Own Book 22

INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.

 

CAUSES:--It proceeds most commonly from redundancy of blood, or

overflowing of the blood, by means of hastening the fattening too

rapidly, or by turning in a rich pasture.

 

SYMPTOMS:--In the early period of it, the beast is dull and stupid,

he stands with his head protruding, or pressed against something for

support, he refuses to eat, is unconscious of the surrounding objects,

now and then suddenly drops as if he were shot, he starts up all at once,

is fearless of any surrounding object, his eyes will become red starting

from their sockets, will stagger about, falling and rising again and run

against everything in his way, he will stamp, tear up the ground with its

horns, run at every one within its reach, bellowing until nature is quite

exhausted; trembling will then come over him, he will grind his teeth and

saliva will pour from his mouth, every limb will be convulsed and he will

presently fall and die.

 

REMEDY:--The chief or only cure is bleeding, let the blood flow rapidly

until he falls from the loss of blood. Setons should be placed on each

side of the poll, and blistered on the forehead, then follow with heavy

doses of physic, when relieved feed cautiously for a few weeks.

 

 

STAGGERS OR SWIMMING in THE HEAD.

 

CAUSE:--Starvation during the winter season, and being admitted into too

fertile a pasture in the Spring, producing a redundancy of blood, which

gives rise to the disease.

 

SYMPTOMS:--Are heaviness, dullness, disposition to sleep, resting his

head upon any convenient place, reels and staggers when he attempts to

walk.

 

If this disease is not checked by bleeding, or purging, or proper

management, it may terminate in inflammation of the brain or fever.

 

REMEDY:--This must be remedied by bleeding, purging and giving the fever

medicine--after purging, give emetic tartar one drachm, digitalis ½

drachm, nitre ¼ drachms twice a day until relieved, feed cautiously.

 

 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS WITH COSTIVENESS.

 

Inflammation of the bowels is by no means an uncommon disease among neat

cattle, very often proves fatal. It is easily recognized by the peculiar

symptoms.

 

CAUSE:--This disease mostly arises from exposure to cold, and especially

when cattle go into rivers or ponds, after being heated and fatigued,

chilling the blood. It is sometimes produced by too much dry or

stimulating food.

 

SYMPTOMS:--The animal is continually lying down, getting up again,

strikes at his belly with his hind feet. The bowels obstinately

constipated; dungs in small quantities, hard, covered with mucus at

times, streaked with blood--the urine is generally voided with difficulty

and heaving at the flanks, accompanied with fever, becomes fearfully weak

and staggers as he walks, he leaves his company, hides himself under

hedges, &c. Becomes deaf, he trembles all over, his skin is hot, back

and loins tender, ears and horns hot, indicating the highest degree of

general fever.

 

REMEDY:--The first thing to be done and that which admits of no delay, is

to bleed profusely. Next, purge freely; continue the purging medicines

until the bowels are freely opened, then lessen the doses so as to keep

the bowels open. In severe cases you must give injections until the

medicines operate freely. This is a very dangerous disease and the course

pursued must be decisive, or the beast is lost! The only hope you have

after bleeding, is in physicing; you should by all means clyster largely

and in great quantities, the epsom salts and castor oil will do no harm;

thin gruel is very good! Let these hints suffice.

 

 

DIARRHEA OR PURGING.

 

DIARRHEA OR PURGING:--In the first place indicates some disordered state

of the bowels, or the presence of some offending matter in them, and he

will endeavor to remedy this; not by attempting to arrest the discharge

too speedily! First, give a mild physic, then follow with the astringent.

 

REMEDY:--Take a strong decoction, white oak bark 3 ounces, laudanum 1½

oz., golden tincture 1 oz. Give it in thin gruel until relieved.

 

Dysentery, Slimy Flux, or scouring rot is treated the same way. The

symptoms of this are considerable tenderness on the spine a little beyond

the shoulders, the dewlap hangs down, and has a flabby appearance; the

dung runs off with a putrid and offensive smell, and as it falls upon the

ground, rises up in bubbles, the hair appears pen feathered or starring;

the eyes are generally inflamed, with heaving of the flanks, painful

twitching of the belly, severe straining, griping, &c. This disease

treated the same as Diarrhea.

 

 

RED WATER.

 

RED WATER:--This disease consists of a discharge of high colored urine,

occasionally tinged with a bloody appearance, it is an affection of the

kidneys; in some cases the discharge changes to a dark red, or blackish

color. When the kidneys are effected, the beast evinces tenderness on

pressing the loins.

 

REMEDY:--Take oil of juniper ½ oz., laudanum 1 oz., oil turpentine 1 oz.,

mix and give in a pint linseed tea, once or twice a day until relieved.

The oil of juniper may be increased or diminished as the case may require

it.

 

 

GARGET, DOWNFALL IN THE UDDER, OR INFLAMED BAG.

 

This is a disease of the utmost consequence to the owners of Cattle;

young Cows in high condition are most liable to it, especially at the

time of calving. This disease makes its appearance in one or more

quarters of the bag, which becomes swollen, hard, hotter than usual

and painful when pressed. The milk is lessened and mingled with blood,

pus and corruption, at times the flow of milk is totally stopped and

sometimes the inflammation extends to the hip joint, hock and foot lock.

 

REMEDY:--It will be necessary as soon as the downfall is discovered,

and especially in an aggravated case, to bring the animal out of the

pasture and if deemed necessary, take from three to five quarts of

blood according to the size or strength, next give her a purging drink

and bathe the udder well with elder ointment, or use mercurial garget

ointment, which is made by taking soft Soap 1 lb., Mercurial Ointment

2 ounces, camphor rubbed down with a little spirits of wine 1 ounce,

rub them well together. Should there be any fever, give a few doses of

fever medicine; this is a disease of great importance, as many Cows are

ruined or lost purely from neglect. The milk must be taken from the Cow

perfectly clean, and this should be done several times during the day;

and the Cow must be fed scantily and with no stimulating food.

 

The teats sometimes get very sore, this is easily remedied by using the

ointment for sore teats. Take elder ointment 6 ounces, Bees wax 2 ounces,

Sugar of lead 1 ounce, Alum 1 ounce in fine powder, mix them well

together, whilst cooling bathe the teats freely.

 

 

TREATMENT OF THE COW, BEFORE AND DURING CALVING.

 

It is an old and true saying, and the truth of it is nowhere more evident

than in treatment of the Milch Cow; that the prevention of an evil is

better than the cure. The Cow should be dried six or eight weeks before

calving, for two reasons: First, the strength and constitution of the Cow

require a little respite. Second, the mixture of the old milk and the new

secretions, that nature prepares for the expected calf. During the early

period of gestation, the animal may and should be tolerably well fed, for

she has to provide milk for the Dairy, and nourishment for the fœtus.

But when she is dried, her food should be considerably diminished:--She

should not be too fat, or full of blood at the time of calving, for that

is the frequent cause of difficult labor, garget fever and death.

 

There are few things in which the Farmer errs, more than in this. There

is also an error in starving her before she calves, but, is much more

danger in bringing her into too high condition. Some Cows are apt to

slink their calves before their time; this generally happens about the

middle of their pregnancy. She becomes feverish of her food, wandering

in search of something which she seems to be longing for. She should be

immediately removed from the other cows, bled and physiced; the best

thing to be done is to fatten her for the butcher, for she will be very

certain to do the same again. When the ninth month is nearly expired, she

should be looked after; if in high condition, she should be physiced, and

if necessary, bled, and if she is about to calve, she should be separated

from the other cows, or brought into the cow-house, and suffered to

remain quiet, and undisturbed. But should she not be successful in

calving within a reasonable time, she should have assistance.

 

SYMPTOMS:--Are uneasiness, slight lifting of the tail, lying down and

getting up. The still earlier symptoms are enlargement of the udder, and

redness of the space between the shape and the udder.

 

TREATMENT:--When the labor has actually commenced, the membranes will

more and more protrude until they break, and the fluid by which the calf

was surrounded will escape. If her pains are strong, she should not be

meddled with for a few hours. And if no portion of the Calf presents

itself, the hand well greased should be introduced, in order to ascertain

the situation, and position of the calf. The natural position is with the

fore feet presenting, and the muzzel lying upon the fore leg. If this

is found to be the case and it has advanced into the passage, sometime

longer should be allowed to see what nature will do. However, as soon as

you perceive the throes to begin to weaken, if no progress has been made,

manual assistance must be rendered.

 

Here there are two objects to be accomplished; the saving of the lives of

both the mother and the young one; all should be done gently.