MILK FEVER IN COWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2719, 2 October 1894, Page 4

MILK FEVER IN COWS.

No 12 of the Leaflets for Farmers issued by the Department of Agriculture deals with “ Parturient Apoplexy, so-called ‘ Milk Fever ’ or ‘ Dropping after Calving,’ ” by John A. GUruth, M.R.C.V.S., Government Veterinarian. It is as follows :

This disease affects 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 twelve to tjjjrty-six hours after calving. The first syniptew.9 are listleasnesa and shivering, with a or suspended secretion of milk. Then gradually the paiient becomes worse, sways from sidp to side, and ultimately falls, after which she Usually lies in a state of stupor, but in some gases the head is dashed about convulsively feeble eflorts made to rise. The tendency is PQ Uo on one side, the iiJ'd being kent persistently towards tho shoulder o'" * u!J y out wjtfc the mouth open. > dentil Approaches, the stupor becomes inord B **d fflOtn intense; tho oye grows glazau. Sunken, and insensible to light ; the limbs are streidied out; and the breathing becomes stertorous. Death often aupejfyjipes almost suddenly. Treatment, unless o c a preventive character, is often attended with bad results, owing to the semi - comatose state of the animal. Whilst in the standing position liquids may be given without much danger if due care be exercised ; but after the patient is down it is not advisable for any one without considerable experience to administer drugs. Reflex action being almost abolished, liquids are apt to outer tho windpipe and cause death iu a few minutes

by suffocation or ultimately by bronchopneumonia. < When the animal is first noticed to be, suffering she should be carefully housed, if possible, and warmly clothed- If down she should be propped on her breast by< bundles of straw, sacks of chaff, etc.' Bleeding is not advisable. As regards medicinal 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 hours, produce the most satisfactory results. These are given in liquid form, occasionally along with other medicines; and 1 would recommend dairy farmers, when practicable, to obtain their supply through any qualified veterinary surgeon, whose knowledge of pharmacy as applied to the lower animals will insure the ; presence of proper proportions and suitable quantity. When administering medicine it is always advisable to be extremely careful, and if the animal coughs the head should be immediately released. After a cow is attacked with parturient apoplexy I consider it inadvisable to give purgative medicines, as they cannot alone restore the functional activity of the alimentary canal and only succeed in disturbing the patient. Of preventive measures, the best is to leave the calf with the mother for three or four days till all danger of “ milk fever ” is past. Some object to this on account of trouble afterwards, but as a rule ensuing difficulties can be easily overcome. For heavy-milking cows in good condition it is a safe precaution to put them some weeks before calving in a paddock rather scarce of food, and to administer a strong saline purgative a day or two previous to the time of calving.