HEALTH OF CATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 April 1938, Page 3

HEALTH OF CATTLE

INDICATIONS IN THE EYES. In looking over an animal offered for sale and which one may have made up one’s mind to buy, it is well, before doing so, to look for indications of the general constitutional health and temperament of the animal. To the critical and skilled observer the eyes of cattle are an infallible barometer of health, a study of which is often amply rewarded. Even in taking a critical survey of one s own herd, it is useful to be able to note what the eyes of the different animals may have to tell t/cir owner. Watery or dull eyes of calves and cattle in general are always a sign that the animal is “of! colour,” and usually in danger of a chill, if nothing worse. But apart from being possible indicators of ill-health, the eyes ol an animal are generally indicative ol its prevailing characteristics, whether desirable or otherwise. Ball-eyed cattle, for instance, are disliked by most buyers and mistrusted by stockmen, because they almost always possess a vice which the least untoward inci-, dent brings out. As a rule breeders like a female | wilii large eyes of gentle expression. 1 ar.d a male with eyes which are pro- i minent and lively. Some feeders claim | ability to pick out a "good doer" by i the eye that reflects satisfaction. Likewise, bloom is typified in cattle by | alert, clear and sparkling eyes. Fin-: ;>l!v. a milker who is about to sit: down to a strange cow will find a [ means <■!’ known. 1 .: her intended con- ■ duct if he can but read aright the j warning or reassurance in her eyes. I A reasonable question, after hav-. ing discussed the value of good] he: Illi, is to ask how it may lie se- | rured and maintained. When an uni- i mai is in a fat condition it is not j necessarily in good health. What is meant by the term is physical fitness I resulting from u balanced and ude-1

quale diet, together with care in management and handling to preserve the excellent tone of the body. It is tiie uncomplicated story of helping tl-e animal to help itself to the best advantage, when that animal is already blessed with a very efficient mechanism to ward oil' trouble of many varied types.