A CALF DISEASE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 25 March 1912, Page 10

A CALF DISEASE.

CUED IN THE.STOMACH. ' . The not uncommon complaint, curd in the stomach of calves, is dealt with bv Mr. A. Taylor, M.R.C.V.S., in the last number of the "Canterbury Agricultural : College Magazine." Mr. Taylor says:— "■Tlie disease occurs in young calves. ino formation of the curd probably commences when the animal is only n lew days old, although the evident symptoms of tho disciifo are not manifested until the calf is two or three months old. The curd is formed in the abotnasum, tho true digestive stomach, and as curdling is the first process in the digestion of milk, tho presence of a persistent curd must be d\io to some derangement of the other digestive functions. Post-mortem the curd is usually found to occupy the greater part of the cavity of the abomasum, is firm and tough, shows evidence of bein» formed 'in successive layers, and matted together from hairs frou; tho body ot the calf. Often pieecs are found broken down and putrifying. The conuition- is found almost exclusively in hand-fed calves. Symptoms of the disease are as a rule exceedingly meagre or altogether absent until tho crisis arrives, when the calf dies in a few hours, in gome cases in a few minutes. Tho calf usually shows fickleness of appetito lor some timo, at times refusing milk, at other times quite anxious for it. It shows great disposition to lick its own hair, and to suckle the ears, navel, and , others parts of its mates. The condition !of the bowels also is variable, at times diarrhoea is present, at other times more or less constipation. The faeces are exceedingly offensive in odour. In some cases undue distension of the abdomen appears, especially on the left side, indicating the presence of gas in the rumen. In fatal cases the final stage appears suddenly, The calf is suddenly soized with exceedingly acute abdominal pain. It throws itself down, bellows, moans, froths at the month, and shows every symptom of the most unbearable agony. Delirium and blindness follow. Tt rushes round, knocks itselt against walls and mangers. Finally it falls over, becomes comatose, and dies in ti few minutes. Post .mortem all the organs arc found healthy with the exception of the aboniasunu and soinetimes the first part of. tho .small intestine. In'addition to the curdy mass already described the interior of the abomasnm shows patches of congested and inflamed mucous membrane, especially among the freo borders of the projecting folds, and the same condition is alw found for some distance in tho small intestine.' There is usually evidence, however, that the condition has been present for some timo, and its oxtent and severity is seldom sufficient to account for the severity and sudden onset of the final stages of the disease. Although it is in most eases difficult to demonstrate, it seems probable that blocking of tho pylorus is the cause of the acuta stago of tho disease. Whether spontaneous recovery takes place is also doubtful. Froni tho presence in th« curd of oxtensivo ureas that have broken down, it seems that complete resolution and recovery could tako place. Treatment of the condition must bo directed to preventing rather than to curing the" disease. Unliko tho rumen, the abdomen does not lend itself to practical surgical interference, which would bo tho only radical method of treatment. As it is in the early days cf the calf's life that the mischief commences, i.e., during the timo when tho animal is entirely dependent on milk for its'sustenance, and before the rumen has commenced to function, every endeavour ought to bo mndo to imitate natural methods of feeding. The calf ought to bo fed at least four times a day with the milk of a, cow recently calved, and when a disposition to lick hairs or.other foreign substance is shown a miizzlo ought to bo applied. When the calf is two or three weeks old, the rumen commences to function. The muzzle riiny then be dispensed with, and some grass or green feed given and tho number of times of feeding on milk gradually reduced to two a day. When symptoms of undue acidity of the stomach arise, they can be corrected by adding a leaspoonful of bicarbonate of poda or a tablespooni'ul of lime water to the milk onco daily.