CALVING AILMENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 61, 11 September 1939, Page 3

CALVING AILMENTS

MILK FEVER $c GRASS STAGGERS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT Milk fever occurs usually within a period of three days following calving. The type of cow most likely to, develop milk fever is the heavy-pro-ducing cow in high condition. The symptoms of milk fever are Well known to farmers, but the outstanding feature associated with this, disease is rapid loss of consciousness following the initial unsteady gait and collapse of the cow. Cows in a herd which can be regarded as being susceptible to an attack of milk fever should be kept off young spring pasture for some time before calving, and be provided with hay and other supplementary feed. A good practice is to sprinkle the hay with a strong solution of molasses in "water. Recommended Drench. Susceptible cows might also be given a drench, as follows: — Calcium chloride, 2oz, dissolved in a pint and a half of hot water. to which is added 21b of molasses or treacle. Good results have been secured by giving this drench twice during the week before "iul once immediately after. When a cow has gone down witii milk, fever the first essential is thorough inflation of the udder after proper steril : sation of the milk lever outfit and cleansing of teats. Ihe cow must then be propped upon her brisket and kept in the normal sitting posture until recovery takes place. The danger of drenching while th:< cow is unconscious cannot be overemphasised; there is always a danger of the drench going into the lungs if it is given while she is in a comatose condition . Tf the cow does not got un within a few hours after udder inflation, and she has sufficiently recovered consciousness to allow of drenching, the drench recommended above should be carefully administered. It is important in drenching a recumbent cow not to raise the head unduly, otherwise the cow may easily be choked. Grass Staggers. Grass staggers commonly occurs from six days to a month after calving, but might be seen earlier or later. The disease is characterised bj r extreme nervous excitement, the cow frequently showing severe convulsions. In differentiating this disease from milk fever it can be stated that coma or, loss of conscious-, is not a feature of grass staggers. The addition of Epsom salts to the drinking water has been recommended as a preventive emasure, and has been followed by some satisfactory results. First add loz for ev"v 5 gallons of water in trough. Then add da : ly_ loz for every cow drinking from trough. Aho, the giving of molasses is recommended as in the case of milk fever. Treatment. Manv treatments have been tried, and all have occasionally been followed bv recovery. The one-which, in our hands, has given consistently the best results, particulnrlv in the subacute cases or eailjer stages hns been the giving of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) subcutanecusiy or by the mouth, if necessary followed by plenty of molasses and stimulants. Drenching is always risky, as an attempt to give a drench lo a cow in this excitable condition often causes a convulsive attack. If, however, the animal can be drenched quietly. if possible, still in She paddock, give about fioz Epsom salts with 21b to 'ill") of molasses dissolved in a pint of' warm water. Tf too nervous to be drenched or actually in a fit, the animal may be given -loz to ooz of Epsom salts dissolved in Goz of boiling waler. and then allowed to cool to blood hen!. This may be injected by means of a funnel or tube and needle, or even with a hypodermic syringe under the skin, preferably in the side of the neck in front of the shoulder blade.

Follow up, say, in four hours, with a powder containing 3 drams of carbonate of ammonia in cold water as a drench. Molasses should be combined with all drenches. Further salts should be given the foI-£ lowing day, and, even if recovery appeal's complete j small doses should be given twice a week for next two or three weeks. Results with animals still on their feet are usually satisfactory. Animals remaining down after a fit lareIv respond to any but vomica can be tried twice a day, with plenty of mola c ses. full dos.es of 4 drams of carbonati: of ammonia with 1 dram of nuS