Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 2 (of 5)Law, James
Science
Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 2 (of 5)
Law, James
Veterinary medicine
_Faulty food_ operates in a similar manner. The exhausted soils, and
their products deficient in alkaline and earthy salts have been already
referred to; we must also note the evil effect of fibrous fodders, the
main nutritive elements of which have been washed out by intemperate
weather after they were cut, the rank aqueous products of wet or swampy
soils, the fibrous and siliceous plants (rushes, carex, equisetums,
etc.) which grow on poor, wet or soured soils, the innutritious and
fermented products of beet sugar factories, and generally the spoilt
food which has undergone fermentation.
_Yearly breeding_ and _constant milking_, by undermining the general
health, predisposes so strongly that in many cases the affection is seen
in dairy cows, while oxen and young cattle escape. The last period of
gestation when the demands for the growing calf are greatest, is the
period of especial danger.
_Permanent stabling_ which denies the invigorating influence of sun,
exercise and pure air contributes toward the general debility and
therefore, in animals that are closely stabled for the winter the spring
is especially to be feared, when compulsory inactivity, poor feeding,
gestation and milking have combined to reduce the system.
_Dry seasons_ have been noticed to increase the affection manifestly by
reducing the supply of food.
_Course._ The affection is chronic and unless arrested by the
supervention of more favorable conditions, may last for a year or more.
Spontaneous recovery may set in when turned out to pasturage and open
air life, and especially if a rich grain feeding is added. Without
change in the conditions however, the tendency is to a fatal result.
_Lesions._ The victims of the disorder are emaciated, the fatty tissue
contains a yellow serum, there is little blood, and that is thin and
watery and coagulates loosely, the muscles are pale and flabby, and the
gastro-intestinal mucous membrane is the seat of catarrh.
_Treatment._ To treat rationally and successfully we must adapt the
measures to the obvious causes. When the soil has been scourged and
exhausted, a change of pasture, and of land used for hay or soiling
crops is the first consideration. If these cannot be secured then grain
and seeds rich in protein, and alkaline and earthy salts should be added
to the ration. Wheat bran, middlings, peas, beans, cotton seed meal,
linseed meal, rapecake may be named among available resorts, or in their
absence, daily doses of phosphate of lime, and sodium chloride or
bicarbonate, or potash salts may be allowed, or even bone dust.
If imperfect digestion is a manifest factor, sodium chloride, or
potassium chloride, calcium phosphate, iron and bitters will serve a
good end. In hyperacidity, limewater, chalk, or magnesia may be given.
If the digestion is torpid, hydrochloric acid with bitters may be
resorted to.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account