DISEASES AMONG CALVES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 69, 12 September 1911, Page 8

DISEASES AMONG CALVES

SOME PRACTICAL HINTS. "Many of tlio dairy farmers of Taranaki tlon't seem to recognise," said Mr. Broom, Government Veterinary Surgeon, to a "News" representative at New Plymouth, "that it is impossible to rear healthy ami well-developed heifers which have been stunted in growth by ailments when they are young, consequently I would like to bring before their notice a few of the more important disorders of calve*, their causes, and the necessary precautions to effect their prevention and cure. Should these hints prove oi benefit, he continued, and as a result some of the calves thrive better, pecuniary benefit to the farmer must result form the growth of a better-developed lot of young stock. It was, lie pointed out, almost impossible to expect a line, healthy, well-matured cow to be the product of a calf which in its upbringing has passed through a succession of disorders which it has just been able to survive. INDIGESTION. He made a start with dietetic troubles. When we departed from the natural food of the young calf—anil this was absolutely necessary in a province like Tajanaki, where all the butter available was required —we must expect trouble, and the further we depart from the natural food the more trouble we are sure to get. One didn't need to look far for evidence of indigestion in calves in this district. ''The bristly-coated, roachedbacked, emaciated, pot-bellied calf is, I ; am sorry to say, as much the rule as tho exception. One. does not see this class of calf in stud herds, and where I calves are either reared by the mothers or well-reared by hand with milk. The | digestive organs of the young calf are ; not in a state of development to enable it to digest anything but the most | skilfully prepared artificial foods, adI ministered in proper quantities. First of I all, it is necessary at birth to take care j that the bowels of the young calf act in i a proper manner. In a state of nature the -youngster receives a natural purge I by the lirst milk of the mother, but when the calf does not receive this it will often be necessary to give a small dose of castor oil, to "take the place of the 'beastings' in evacuating the intestines. Then, again, in regard to the food of the calves. ] Skim-milk should be given as fresh as possible. It should be stored in clean vessels, and clean pails used in the handling of it, otherwise the decomposition which is sure to take place is bound to have a serious effect on the calves." There is no doubt, said Mr. Broom very emphatically.' that the practice of feeding calves only once or twice a day is too groat a departure from Nature to enable good results to be obtained, and he would strongly recommend feeding at least three times a day. The calf fed by its mother received its sustenance i at very frequent intervals, lie pointed j out. The more frequent feeding would ■ prevent "gorging." and "gorging" was injurious, distending the intestines and 1 producing the pendulous' abdomen so often seen in calves—in fact, some animals never seemed to regain proper shape. Frequent attacks of flatulence (tympanitis) in which the calf appears blown ujT. and diarrhoea and scouring, all indicate indigestion, brought on through faulty feeding and decomposed foodstuffs. Calves also frequently suffer from a condition approximating frenzy. They seem to go mad, tear about, gallop into fences, finishing up by running around in a circle, and dropping down to die. This results from gorging, and on opening a calf dying in this way there is found in the stomach a hard dry mass resembling curd, and frequently twice as large as a man's clenched fist. The feeding of the calves from a divided trough or pail-rack is practised on some farms and is strongly recommended in preference to the one common trough which is so generally in use. By using the divided trough or pail-rack each calf gets its proper allowance of food, and gorging bv the strong calves is reduced as far as possible. The two most common symptoms of indigestion are flatu■lcnec and scouring. Of course, as a preventive, the first thing is to see that the food suppiy is kept as fresh and clean as possible. It is just iis necessary, in order to have good calves, to keep that fresh, as it is to keep the milk fresh for the factory. Keep the utensils clean, and keep the troughs clean. If the milk is going wrong, or if the calves are going wrong with indigestion, a lot of good will be effected sometimes by giving a dose of bi-carbonate of soda in the milk (a small teaspoonful once a day) or lime water (about a wineglassful to each calf once a day), this being easily prepared on the farm. In any case of serious disorder this treatment should be preceded by a dose of castor oil (a wineglassful t;0 each calf). Another common complaint amongst voung calves is NAVEL ILL,

This is a form of blood-poisoning, which is one of the, complaints that are undoubtedly brought on by placing the young animals in dirty surroundings. This complaint, commences within a day or two of calving, and runs a course generally of only a few days' duration, the symptoms becoming more intense as it progresses, and often terminating fatally. The germs of the disease gain entrance l>v the navel, which may become swollen sometimes, the legs and joints swell, the ealf breathes rapidly, there is .profuse diarrhoea (usually known as "white scour"), the calf >beeomes greatly -prostrated, and eventually dysentery comes on, which alters the color of the discharge, making it red (giving rise to the, name of blood scour). Treatment is simple. As the disease commences at the navel, by the entrance of putrid matter, preventive treatment will consist of keeping this part in a perfectly clean condition right from birth. Avoid putting the calves into dirty vards. o.ld sheds or buildings, and espi'ciallv avoid nutting them into disused pigstyes, which are so convenient, !

for the pig also is a sufferer from this complaint and a great spreader of it. 'lf the disease has already made its ap-l pearance amongst the calves treatment I will consist in the application of an antiseptic dressing to the navel, and for this purpose carbolised oil is lined with success. Apply it on the palm of a clean hand daily for the first week after birth. At the same time, administer lime-water daily with the milk in order to overcome the diarrhoea, which accompanies the disorders. STOMACH WORMS. Among diseases which make their appearance a little later on arc stomach worms (parasitic gastritis) and lungworm (parasitic bronchitis). In the flrst- | mentioned complaint the parasites usually commence their ravages among calves from the age of about six mouths, and may cause trouble during the first 18 months of a calf's existence, or even later. Symptoms exhibited by a mob of calves suffering from the presence of these worms are the usual unthrifty appearance. staring coat, arched backs, the calves "doing 1 ' badly, and wasting. At times there is diarrhoea, and a cough may lie present. They show a peculiar haggard facial expression and a pendulous belly. The mortality caused by this complaint is very great. This disease is found, as a rule, where calves are paddocked on played-out pastures, and often when they drink from stagnant pools or slow-running creeks. The absence of suitable shelter also has a considerable influence in encouraging the disease. .. iien a mob of calves is being attacked by the stomach-worm it becomes absolutely essential to remove them on to nutritious pastures. Sec that tliey have a supply of clean, fresh water and suitable shelter. Over and above this, the addition of a nutritious diet' will be very beneficial. This should consist of dry feed, such as crushed oats and chaff, which lmve a wonderful effect in combatting the disease, fireat benefit has resulted from feeding even a few handfuls of this everv da v. LUXONYORM. Lungworm is fairly prevalent, but not nearly so prevalent as formerly. It is more easily recognised than stomach worm, on account of the accompanying cough, fiencra! treatment is the same as in the disease just mentioned, with the addition of the administration of a dose of lysol (a teaspoonful in water) to affected calves. But in this disease, as well as in parasitis gastritis, medicine will be found totally unavailing without strict attention to the other points mentioned—nutritious dieting and so on. The above hints on the way to prevent common diseases, or to deai with them when they manifest themselves, should be noted by every dairy fanner. Cut this out, and paste it up somewhere handy for reference.