Leaflets for Farmers, No. 12. I

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 54, 29 August 1894, Page 2

Leaflets for Farmers, No. 12. I

The Agricultural Department supplies us with the following: — Parturient Apoplexy, so-called " Milk Fever" or " Dropping after Calving " — This disease affecta chiefly deep- milking cows in good condition, and seldom before the birth of the third calf, the period of attack as a rule being from i twelve to thirty six hours after calviug. The first symptoms are listlessness and shivering, with a diminished or suspended secretion of milk. Then gradually the patient becomes worse, sways from side to side and ultimately falls, after which she usually lies in a state of stupor, but in some cases the head is dashed about convulsively and feeble efforts made to rise. The tendency is to lie on one side, the head being kept persistently towards the , shoulder or fully stretched out with the mouth open. As death approaches . the stupor becomes more and more intense ; the eye grows glazed, sunken, and insensible to light; the limbs are 1 stretched out ; and the breathing be ' comes steitorous. Death often superl vene* almost suddenly. Treatment, , unless of a preventive character, is often attended with bad results owing to the semi-comatose state of the animal. Whilst in the standing position liquids my be given without much danger if due care be exercised ; but ' after the patient is down it is not ad- [ visable for any one without consider- , able experience to administer drugs. r Reflex action being almost abolished : liquids are apt to enter the windpipe i and cause death in a few minutes by suffocation or ultimately by bronchoj; pneumonia. When the animal is first 3 noticed to be suffering she should be f carefully housed, if possible, and warmly clotted. If down she should be ptopped on her breast by bundles of straw, sacks of chaff, &c. Bleeding is not advisable. As regards medici nal treatment : of the various agents that have been tried, perhaps chloral hydrate in conjunction with bromide of potassium, given in doses of from two to five drams at intervals of two home, produce the most satisfactory results. These are given in liquid form, occasionally along with other i other medicines ; and I would recomi mend dairy farmers, when practicable, • to obtain their eupply through any ■ qualified veterinary surgeon, whose knowledge of pharmacy as applied to • the lower animals will insure the prej sence of proper proportions and suit- • able quantity. When administering medicine it is always advisable to be extremely careful, and if the animal 3 coughs the head should be immodit ately released. After a cow is attacked 3 with parturient apoplexy I consider it ' inadvisable to give purgative medi--3 cines, as they cannot alone restore the l functional activity of the alimentary canal, and only succeed in disturbing the patient. On preventive measures the best is to leave the calf with the mother for three or four days till all danger of " milk-fever " i« past. Some object to this on account of trouble afterwards, but as a rule ensuing difficulties can be easily overcome. Foi s heavy-milking cows in good condition s it ia a safe precaution to put them for some weeks before calving in a paddock rather scarce of food, and to administer a strong saline purgative a day or two previous to tbe time ol o calving. ) Wellington. Aueußf, 1894.