GIVING MEDICINE TO A COW

Shannon News, 7 December 1926, Page 3

GIVING MEDICINE TO A COW

Administering - medicine to cattle is as easy as "rolling - off a log,", provided you know how; in fact, that is all * there ,i s to anything. In bloat, for instance, fast work ■is required taut valuable time is usually Avasted finding a suitable bottle. Then members of the family fall all over each other trying to find the right medicine. And, finally,, to cap the climax and add ( to the already general excitement, 'giving the stuff to the creature amounts almost to a riot, writes E. T. Baker in the "Now Zealand Dairyman." ,

Just as you insure your property against fire,, protect, your animals by being prepared for the possible emergency. Have your vet. prepare for you several bottles of medicine indicated in the common diseases and accidents frequent in your neighbourhood. Getting ready for bloat, acuto indigestion,/barbed wire cuts, inflamed udders, and lung fever not only may save animal life,' but'it reduces veterinary bills. Now, as to the actual administration of the medicine itself to the cow, remember the nose is the vulnerable part of cattle. Just, as the fiercest bull can bo made tractable; with a ring in its nose, so a cow, stubborn and full of pain, can bo controlled by grasping the nostrils in this fashion: ■Stand,'on the right side of tlio cow and slip; the left arm around the head. Stand back slightly, so that her head will not swing round and hit yours. Grasp' the nostrils with the thumb and first two or three lingers of the left hand, and "press the parts as tightly as you can. This a'cts much like a twitch does on a horse. Next, bring tho head around towards you and raiso the nose slightly above the level, so that liquids will run back into the gullet. The main thing to remember' hero is not to raise the head too high, or the animal will begin to struggle. Now take your bottle 1 of medicine with your right hand and insert the neck of the bottle in the side of the mouth'next to.you just back of the lower front teeth —a cow has no upper front teeth. Slip the bottle over the base of the tongue and carefuly give about half the contents; allowing her to swallow. Then give the balance, and after giving her a reasonable time .to gulp this down, release the head and jump away quickly. ■ ■ » The writer prefers a pint bottle fo» drenching cattle, as it is more easily handled than a larger one. Have the medicine well diluted with water raw linseed oil, beaten eggs, milk or gruel. Shake . the bottle well before giving, : and allow plenty of timo. to "swallow," or some may go down the wrong way into the lungs and cause fatal pneumonia. Here are a few don'ts: — Don't drench a cow when she is lying down and is unable to get up. Don't grasp tho tongue, as swallowing is then impossible. Don't drench through the nostrils. Don't tic the head up with a.rope or chain—you will havo a fight on your hands and most of the medi- v cine on your clothes. Don't pour down large, quantities of drugs without being reasonably, sure they are indicated. Often they will do more harm than good..

Don't fail to be prepared for emergencies; have your bottles of medicine ready for immediate use. so that when one of the family is calling- up your vet. you can be rendering first aid, which, in cattle often "moans saving a life.