Hair-ball in Calves

Southland Times, Issue 19482, 9 December 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

Hair-ball in Calves

AN INTERESTING CASE. A very good specimen of what is com monly known as hair-ball or dust-l-al has been sent to the office of this i>&pei by Mr M. J. H. McLean, of Te Tua. Mi McLean had a calf, which, wihen weaned hart to rely pretty much on what it could pick up in the bush. It wasted away, and notwithstanding the fact that the owner fed it on hay, raw potatoes, and oatmeal porridge, the calf died. A veterinary expert, to whom we hunt Mr McLean's letter and the hair-ball sent with it, writes that it ia certain that the hair-ball was the indirect cauue of death. He says :—•" These balls usually have as a. nucleus a few hairs which the animal may lick ott its own body, or a few vegetable fibres, such as flax, which the animal may get access to. This acts as a trap for. particles of dust and vegetable matter. The whole becomes felted together by the churning action of tho stomach, and a ball is formed. The ball may do no harm whatever if it stays in tiie stomach, but if it interferes with the-, outlet from the stomach, then the animal, will go off its feed, piue away and /lie. Very large balls of this kind are OWnsipnally found in the intestines of horses, particularly iho Horses belonging to moat millers. Such horses are sometimes fed on. the refuse from the mill, and this refuse is collected into a ball by the -digestive organs of the animal partaking of it. Wool-ball in lambs is much tho same as hair-ball in haircovered animals. Tho writer eaino across live cows in Southland that had died rather mysteriously, und which on investigation were found to have their largo stomachs loaded with flaix refuse rolled into a hall and closely felted. In addition to this, about nn ordinary shovelful of stones was found. Thoi writer believes that uaturo prompted the animals to swallow the stones in tho hope, as it were, of triturating tho mass and saving tho auiinars life. Thero is no cure for that condition except by surgical interference, and even then results are anything but satisfactory."