The natural period of gestation is about nine calendar months, or from 270 to 285 days. For a month or three weeks before the time of calving—or, if poorly in condition, two months—the cow should be allowed to dry; otherwise the unnourished calf will be of little value when it is born. If the cow be milked too long, there is also danger of bringing down the new milk and causing puerperal fever, or inflammation of the udder. On the other hand, a cow should not be fed too high. For some weeks, as the time approaches, the food should be limited in quantity, and be given more frequently, otherwise the rumen will be so distended with food or gas as to press upon the uterus, alter the position of the fetus, and thus render parturition difficult.
Cows, when well attended to, calve very easily and require little assistance. For a few days there is a mucous discharge from the vagina; the animal is restless and uneasy; groans, and breathes more quickly; the udder rapidly enlarges; the abdomen drops. The cow should be allowed to be quiet; it is a cruel and dangerous practice to rouse and drive her about. The restlessness soon increases; the cow keeps getting up and lying down; at last she remains on the ground, and, if all goes well, the calf is soon born. The expulsive pains cause the exit of a considerable quantity of fluid, or of a pouch full of serum. When this pouch bursts, the pains increase and the calf is expelled. If there be any difficulty, the fetus may be drawn forward during a pain. The cord breaks of itself, at some distance from the umbilicus. The afterbirth, cleansing, or placenta, is not always passed at once; it may remain for several hours partly or wholly within the womb, causing some danger of fatal consequences; but manual interference should not be allowed till the action of medicines has been found ineffectual for its removal.
Treatment.—The general treatment has been sufficiently indicated in the foregoing. If the labor be tedious, a dose of A.A., will often help. After two hours, another dose might be given; and in some extreme cases, when the pains have nearly ceased, a dose of the G.G.; will often help.
The animal should be kept in a roomy, well-aired place, free from superfluous litter, covered immediately after calving if the least danger be apprehended; fed sparingly for some days, principally on mashes and small quantities of hay.
The udder should be frequently and well stripped of its contents.
Failure to come in Heat—Sterility
Failure to breed in the cow may occur in two different forms—first impotence, in which the cow fails to come in heat, and second, true sterility, in which, although she came in heat and was bred the service proved unfruitful.
The first of these cases may be due to some malformation of the sexual organs in which case it is incurable; but it is more often due to insufficient or over-feed, or lack of exercise, or over-work, or some depressing disease.
Treatment.—Correct the exercise and feeding, and give G.G., every night for a week, or, if the case is urgent, a dose morning and night, and then a dose daily until the result is manifest.
True Sterility may also be caused by malformations and be incurable, but is more often caused by other things such as a catarrhal condition of the vagina—Leucorrhea or to ardent heat, or insufficient food, or debility from disease.