THE CHOKING OF CATTLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 8

THE CHOKING OF CATTLE.

We are led to discuss this matter of cattle choking when lea on turnips, owing to a correspondent raising uie question la<»t week : "What would be the best n leans to adopt in the cate of a cow found ciioinng, Gay, with a turnip, or pOtffcttOly "blown up' owing to feeding on too much green stuff, sucn rape, clover, turnip tope, etc." It probably would not he an easy matter to determine immecliately whether any distension was due to choking or to gaseous indigestion, and in any calc, as time is of importance, it might probably be necessary if the animal's liie was to be saved, to puncture the runners in- the centre of the triangular space, bounded by the last rib in front, the flat processes of the £.pine above, and the hip-bone behind. Use is made of the trochar and canula. In a caie where an animal is choking, say, from, tome obstruction in the guliet, and is blown up, any accumulated gas would quickly escape, and the liank would recede. In the case of gaseous indigestion it will be necessary to keep the canula free of the fermenting contents of the stomach. Generally, however, the owner will have a good idea of the trouble, knowing the grazing conditions. The treatment in a choking case will depend on the nature of the obstruction and its situation. As a rule cattle are choked by roots which have been cut u« into angular, awkward pieces. If not pulped or sliced properly, it is as well to ieed them whole. It is the smaller turnips which cause the trouble. Potatoes, too, fed whole are cause for uneasiness at times.. If the obstruction lodges in the, too of the gullet it is possible to remove it with the hand. At least, so we are told, although one needs to be something of a conjurer to successfully handle the salivated turnips or other obstruction. It may be pointed out that the "gullet" is the tubular organ, running down the left side of the neck until it disappears between the two fjrst ribs, to°proceed to the stomach through the chest, and it is in this organ that too large portions of food are generally retained, constituting the so called "choking." The live stock division in the journal' of Agriculture says, inter alia, in the above connection that the oesophagus (gullet) is composed of a series of muscular fibres, deposed in a ring-like manner, and these are what are termed "involuntary"—that is not under the control of" the will. Inside this is the mucous membrane continuous from that of the mouth and attached very loosely to the muscular coat. In consequence of this arrangement cattle can swallow fairly largo articles without apparent injury Once the bolus of food passes into the gullet, it is independent of the will of the animal to draw it back, and is passed on its way by the contraction of the muscular coat behind it until it reaches the stomach. If, however, it has been improperly salivated, or there is something untoward about it to facilitate its passage, such as being larger or more angular than the organ has Been accustomed to, a spasm of the muacular lager- occurs, and the object is detained. Owing to the obstruction, the gas from the runner, which is naturally eradicated, cannot pass, and the consequence is that the animal becomes tympanitic, or "blown up." In a care like this it is always better to employ simple treatment first, as hundreds of animals are choked, and the condition rempved naturally without the owner knowing anything about it. The first thing is to remove' the spasmodic condition and to prevent the "blowing up." Give the animal about half a pint of warm, raw linseed oil. Then get a smooth, round niece of wood about two and a-half inches in diameter (such as a domestic rolling-pin), fix a cord at each end, and 'secure it in the mouth by tying the cords round the head at the back of the horns. This will cause the animal to champ and roll the jaws from side to side: and this not' only facilitates the eradication of gas from the stomach, but also stimulates the muscular coat_ of the gullet by the swallowing of the saliva produced. If the obstruction can be felt in the neck portion, it will be advisable to foment with hot water. This, indeed, should be done in any case, in order to relieve the spasmodic condition. _ The passing of a probang, or such articles as whip "or broom handles, is not recommended. Probably more cattle die as the result of an attempt to relieve them by passing these instruments, and trying to force the obstruction on towards the stomach than there would be if the animals were left alone. The danger lies_ in rupturing the mucous coat when pressingon the obstruction.