MILK FEVER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1762, 29 May 1913, Page 8

MILK FEVER.

'SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT. 'Asked-for a'reply'to tho following questions—(l) Th'o'best treatment to' be given to-a'cow ivitli milk-fever; (2) -whether• it is jiScessary" tg 'givo " drench, if using iterilised-air pump; (3) symptoms of cow with milk-fever, tho Live-stock and Meat Division gives the following information in' the Agricultural Department's Journal:—-' ■

'There'is uo'be'tfer treatment 'than inflation of tho udder, 'I 1 l'ofQra 1) 1 y .tili Jou 1(1! be dono with oxygen gas. Jf atmospheric air, however, is forced through sterilised cotton-wool into tho udder, in most cases it'Mts efficiently. I!-.'is not necessity to give a drench when using pump. At this period the animal is .generally comatose, and has lost the power of swallowing. There is great danger of the .drench going'down wrong way" anil choking tho animal straight away,- or elso setting up inflammation.'of :tIU; lungs. 'It often happens that animals recover from the milk fever 'onlv.-toudiefroin .this cause.--If a drench in';giTen, it'is best to give it'a day or two prior t««calving.' , 'L'hii'- vary--in-"different eases.' "Generally 'tho 'first sign' is the"animal hanging- back in. the brtil, with- the head drooping. Sho may bo uneasy, whisking her tail,: "paddling" with her hind legs, or kicking at the belly. If the calf is wjth'her she cca'sc-s to take notice of it. iln soino -cas.\s, whero she-can do it, the head .is'pressed against .I ha wall or post, jii a' sleepy 'attitude; At other times there is-.'excitenierit 1 , bellowing, etc..' Sho beCDhies unsteady in' her' gait, and either lies or falls clown. She m'ay rise again, but gradually goes down, and is unablo to'"get up. 'Phis is the stage wlierc attention is generally called to them. The animal may,'bo found lying 'flat on her 'side, or nioro often on her breast, witlii Iter head turned round into the flank. Sensation is lost, and the front of the eyeball may be - touched with • tho finger without.'.any . response. Tears run down tho face, and saliva dribbles from the mouth, owing .to loss of .the power of swallowing. In a word, the cow is unconscious, or nearly so. The breathing is usually 'slower and deeper than normal, nid is often, stertorous in-character. 'The temperature is usually below normal, not higher, as the. term "inilk-fever" would lead us to believe. Regarding tho secretion 'of inilk, this may stop suddenly' or diminish gradually; at other times it does not appear to-bo interfered with. Tho above are the usual symptoms .shown, varying in degree in different cases. 'The most, useful sign from a diagnostic point jf view, is tho loss of sensibility of tho ?yi>, and-its gradual , return is also yo,ur best guide in determining.,if'recovery is taking-- place. . ,