Special report on diseases of cattleUnited States. Bureau of Animal Industry
Science
Special report on diseases of cattle
United States. Bureau of Animal Industry
Cattle -- Diseases
IMAGINARY DISEASES (HOLLOW HORN; LOSS OF CUD; WOLF IN THE TAIL).
It would appear quite in place here, in connection with the diseases of the
stomach and bowels of cattle, to consider the three old fallacies or
superstitions known by the above names, since these names, whenever and
wherever used, seem to be invariably applied to some form of digestive
derangement or disease having its origin in the stomach and bowels.
HOLLOW HORN.--In the first place it should be noted that the horns of all
animals of the ox tribe are hollow. The horn cores are elongations of the
frontal bones of the skull, and the frontal sinuses, which are the larger
of the air spaces of the head, are prolonged into the horn cores. When a
cow is sick, if the horns are hot it is an evidence of fever; if they are
cold it indicates impaired circulation of the blood; but these
manifestations of sickness are to be regarded as symptoms of some
constitutional disorder and do not in themselves require treatment. The
treatment should be applied to the disease which causes the abnormal
temperature of the horns. The usual treatment for the supposed hollow horn,
which consists in boring the horns with a gimlet and pouring turpentine
into the openings thus made, is not only useless and cruel, but is liable
to set up an acute inflammation and result in an abscess of the sinus.
LOSS OF CUD.--The so-called loss of cud is simply a cessation of
rumination, frequently one of the first indications of some form of
disease, since ruminants stop chewing the cud when they feel sick. Loss of
cud is a symptom of a great many diseases, and when it is detected it
should lead the observer to try to discover other symptoms upon which to
base a correct opinion as to the nature of the disease from which the
animal suffers. No local treatment is required.
WOLF IN THE TAIL.--This term also seems to be vaguely applied to various
disturbances of the digestive function, or to some disease which is in
reality in the stomach or bowels.
VOMITING.
Vomiting is not to be confounded with rumination, though some writers have
advanced the opinion that it is merely a disordered and irregular
rumination. It is not of common occurrence in cattle.
_Symptoms._--Animals which vomit are frequently in poor condition. After
having eaten tranquilly for some time the animal suddenly becomes uneasy,
arches the back, stretches the neck and head, and then suddenly ejects 10
to 12 pounds of the contents of the rumen. After having done this the
uneasiness subsides and in a short time the animal resumes eating as if
nothing had happened.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account