Complete Treatise on the mare and foal at the time of delivery, with illustrations. / Also on cows and calves, with stallion and mare, when diseased by Gonorrhea (clap) or Pox, also Diarrhea and Costiveness in Colts.

by Conrad Mitchell

THE COW AND CALF.

The average period of gestation in the cow is 270 days; the shortest 120 days, and the longest 313 days. The calf is placed in the same position, and in the same side of the cow, as is the foal in the mare. Mal-presentations of calves are treated in the same manner as those of the foal, with this advantage, that calves will live much longer than the foal. I have had cases, where I extracted the calf twenty-four hours after they were raised, and delivered them alive and sound.

About two weeks before calving, the cow should have, in addition to her ordinary food, a half pint of rye, evening and morning, as that is a sure means of taking the cleaning right after the delivery of the calf. Should this be neglected, she should be slopped with two quarts of wheat bran and half a teacupful of flaxseed, twice a day. If the cleaning does not come off on the third day, it should be twisted back of the cow’s shape, until it becomes a solid cord, when a small knife enclosed in the hand should be introduced into the womb, and the cord cut off about fifteen inches from the entrance. This is about all that will incommode the cow; the other will pass off about the ninth day, and the cow will be all right. Should the cow have inflammation in the udder, or any other place, she should be drenched with one lb. of Epsom Salts. The horns should be examined, and if they are sometimes warm and then cold again, a hole should be bored through them, about two inches from the head, and the back of the cow should be fomented with very strong salt-water; the tail should be slit on both sides about an inch and a half. In extreme cases a charge should be boiled, and spread on the loins, consisting of

• 1 pint of tar,
• 2 oz. Rosin,
• 2 oz. Beeswax.

After the charge is spread on, it should be covered with tow or wool.

Calves will sometimes, on account of the cow’s milk being burned, have a severe Diarrhea. When this is the case they should be drenched with milk from the cow, containing one large tablespoonful of wheat flour, and half a teaspoonful of ginger. Should this not be sufficient, opium may be added to it the size of two grains of wheat.

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