MILK FEVER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 20

MILK FEVER.

A correspondent writes in the Scottish Farmer as follows : A short time a.sto. at a meeting of the C4lassro\v and West of Scotland Agricultural Discussion Society, Mr Poiloclc, Springtide. Howwocd. expressed a wish that science would find a method of decreasing the losses of dairy-farmers from mi Ik (ever. I think this can bs -done b.7 following Nature a little more e'.osely than is general, and without any aid from science- In a. state of Natui-o the -young of any animal, as soon as born, takes its mother's milk in smal quantities at short intervals, "little and often" boing its practice. If a calf be left with its mother th^ sam-" thing happens, Nature being followed exactly. If. however, as is often the case, the calf be taken fiom its mother at birth tiien Nature should be copied, and a little mi k taken from fche cow by hand at short intenals. Never empty the bag— that is. udder — of a newly calved cow until the calf is at least three days old, and deaths from milk fever will practically -cease. This was told me many years afc<o by a farmer who kept a very larg-e herd of cows, on rich pasture, in Leicestershire, and he added, "Since I was told of this plan years ago by an old cow-leech — that is, unqualified cow doctor— l have not lost a cow from milk fever, whereas before I invaria-bly _ lost several every year." My own experience coincides with his. But, and he>-e is the rub see that ihe plan is carried out fully, and do not be satisfied with being told that it has been.