PREVENTION OF SEPSIS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 308, 3 October 1929, Page 6

PREVENTION OF SEPSIS.

A PROVED LOCAL REMEDY. Mr. J. Lock, of Walton, who has been farming in the Walton district for seventeen years, has forwarded a letter to the Editor of the Matamata Record on the question of sepsis in cows. He says:— “ I have read of a case where a farmer has lost this present season at least sixteen cows from this malady. Thousands of pounds worth of good dairy cows die throughout the Waikato annually, which is a severe loss to the farmers concerned and also to our export trade in dairy produce.

“For the benefit of my fellow farmers the following is a safe and effective preventative against this deadly Sepsis prevalent amongst our dairy herds. The preventative which I freely give after three years proof is a very simple remedy with the minimum of trouble to any dairy farmer, viz., put one pint of clean warm water, about 97 degrees of heat, in a clean vessel and mix in one teaspoonful of j eyes’ fluid. Insert with syringe into the womb within 24 hours after calving. It is very important not to leave it later, otherwise it will not have the effect as -the womb closes soon after. “ When this disinfectant is used at the proper time, in' about 90 per cent of cases the cow will almost immediately pass the harmful substance or germ bed from her. Sepsis usually occurs from eight up to twenty-one days after calving. 1 have seen it occur on the thirtyfourth day, but this is exceptional. If a cow retains her cleansing for about twenty hours after calving, and it is not expected she will get rid of it before the twenty-four hours expire, use one quart of warm soapy water, about 97 degrees, and irrigate, but do not use disinfectant, as the animal -will retain the cleansing for a longer period than she should do. There is no danger from Sepsis in such cases. Any farmer, unless he is absolutely skilled in removing afterbirth from a cow, should leave the matter entirely alone, as dozens of cows are ruined in this way by novices.

How to Know Sepsis. “ The animal in almost ever case, with the first symptom, holds her head fairly high with jerky movements, and has a staring look. Shortly afterwards she will begin to "tremble, chiefly in the flanks, the head will be lowered near the ground with moving jaws, and often frothing at the month. Later the beast falls down and has spasms or .fits, rolling the eyes and twitching and struggling violently. Sometimes this will occur at intervals for two or three days, in other cases the animal may die within half an hour.

“ In ease the farmer has not followed the above instructions, and the animal is suffering from Sepsis, one of the best remedies is to dissolve about threequarters of a pink Sepsis tablet in one quart of warm water. Then insert a clean rubber tube into the womb, if possible, and pour the iluid in through the tube. Pack the cow up high behind with hay or anything, and if there is difficulty in getting the cow to take the mixture pull the tube out a little occasionally and re-insert as required. Be very careful that the contents of the pink tablet do not come in contact with any metal. Use an ordinary earthenware clean jug for the purpose. As soon as you have injected the portion of dissolved tabloid, give the cow a drench of li pints of raw linseed oil mixed with one tablespoonful of vegetable turps. Be sure to shake the bottle thoroughly before administering, ensuring that it is properly mixed. “Do not confuse Sepsis with Staggers or partial paralysis. This latter complaint will occur any time shortly after calving just the same as milk fever. The latter usually occurs about twenty-four hours after calving and very seldom until after the third calf is born. Most farmers know how to deal with milk fever by now. Of course, an animal staggers with milk fever before going down, but ordinary milk fever is easily detected, the ears becoming very cold and the neck having a decided kink

in it. With the staggers or ordinary paralysis I have proved a local stagger drench most effective. X have used a good few of these drenches for this purpose and in every case tove been successful. The animal requires to be rugged carefully. Sew some very heavy brown paper to the

cover about two feet square over the loins and also thoroughly rub the animal over the loins with turps until a good heat is attained. The brown paper coming on top of this will drive it in. Repeat the application of turps and the rubbing, but less severely until the cow gets up.”