DIARRHŒA (SCOURS) IN YOUNG STOCK.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3490, 6 November 1894, Page 2

DIARRHŒA (SCOURS) IN YOUNG STOCK.

Tjie name scours is commonly used to indicate diarrhcex or purgation in farm stock. The disease is the result of a variety of conditions, and would appear to be enzooic in certain seasons, as it was in tbe upring months of 1804, It is a matter of common observation that, in dry summers like those of ISS7 and 1893, diarrhoea among adult animals is rare, and that the very Rhort obtainable is remarkable for its flesh-forming properties, while the converse is the case in a comparatively wet springtide, when the grass grows fast and with vprv little sunshine. In addition to the fact, that wo have but little sun, it is recorded by a number of veterinarians in different. parts of the country that careful post mortem examination has proved the preseuce of minute strangles, so small as to escapo the observation of any but ths most painstaking investigators. The worthless body of an animal that has died of this disorder is seldom viewed with sufficient, interest by the owner to induce him to order a -thorough examination to be made by an expert, and a cause, at least contributory, is thereby overlooked. Where a number of animals are affected, or successive individuals are attacked, it will be worth while to investigate the cause rather than to adopi. the ordinary popular remedies without inquiry. It was thought probable that a top-dressing of salt applied last autumn to low-lying pastures would have mitigated the evil, and further have'lessened the liability to tbe other form of strangle which infests the hues, and is so troublegome in autumn, firing rise to husk (Strongylus filarin, or Filaria'brouchialis) and a smaller worm (Strongylus rnbegcens). Debility is a condition antecedent to scouring, and often the sequel of wasting diseases not susceptible of treatment, as in tuberculosis. Stores belonging to the poorer class of farmers have but just maintained life during the winter of 1893-4, and, but for its comparative mildness, it cannot be doubted that many more animals would have died. A short supply of hay, and no means to purchase any, and au absence of straw, either for chaff or bedding, fouud store beasts this spring in the most wretched plight pro* bably ever witnessed in England. Many animals were kept alivewith barley meal, owing to its remarkable cheapness; but the want of auy long stuff made rumina* tion a difficulty, and' excited thirst. Animals so feci had showed, some appearances of scouring, and were erroneously treated with astringents. Postmortem examination usually revealed the third stomach (omasum) packed with dry,;. hard cakes of comparatively unaltered' meal. Contradictory as'it may Veem, Bcouring in these cases is beat treated by an oily aperient, a* linseed or castor oil.; The spring of 189-1 has also been, prolific of scouring in suck iug animals, Joals,: calves, lambs, and pigs in many districts

have died," or received so severe-a check as to make their rearing.an unprofitable, business. '■■''» The scouring of sucklera ispfteii|fo he attributed to the diet or healthJof the dam, soms causes of which we have already hinted at. It is probable that some cases of scours m yountr animals may be traced to an : insufficient supply of the maternal aperienj; at birth.: ; ; / During foetal 1 ife, eape«ially the, latter part-of it,', the intestinal juices accumulate aiid are properly expelled from the newborn animal by the colostrum contained in the first milk secreted, but if this is-depied to the calf it frequently happens that asour, fermentim? curd is formed, which pre* eently leads to diarrhoei, which may. continue for some time, inducing great debility, and, in some instance!), causing its death, ' ;j! " Tbe characteristic sour odolir of scouri in calves is often noticeable: where several are ftnged for' fatting, and it.'is too frequently tbe case, that /cleanliness arid disinfection are disregarded:'until some more than usually serio.is loss forces the owner's attention lo the matter. The name staging year after year is used in many places, and the woodwork becomen (saturated with filth, the odour from which may be occasionally masked by some powerful deodoriser, which may not be a true disinfectant. Again, pail-fed calves amy take advautage of the brief opportu- ; nities afforded them and imbibe too much milk at a time, and often not of the proper quality or temperature. Simple cases of scour in foals, and other animals are often but a natural effort to. rid the intestines of some acrid accumuhw lion, but should never be neglected, as anything approachingtoexcessive purging soon reduces the vitality of young creatures to a point at which treatment is of no avail. It may be said that scouring is a symptom of indigestion in some form or Mother, and it is usually a safe and a deaiiable plan to give a dose of castor oil to remove acrid matters from the prima via before the digestive process can be restored. Lime water with the milk, or the substitution of a portion of linseed gruel with' half the usual quantity of milk, has been recommended, or the administration of bicarbonate of potash where the excretions are persistenty acid. 'Hie administration of cordials, consisting of landinum, peppermint, cinnamon

etc., thickened with chalk, or the chalk

mixture of the British I'harmacopceia, ' : lias been found beneficial, as have also infusions of oak hark and other stringent tonics, but it is doubtful if these arc not positively harmful unless a preliminary treatment by aperients has been adopted, .•u it is found that those animals, which succumb to fcoui's have usually a hard mm of curd oiusing impaction. Scouring iu puppies and kittens is not frequent until they begin to feed themselves, unless from over exertion or excessive fatigue, or from some constitulional disturbance in the bitch which iffects her milk. It is well to milk out

with the fingers some little of the fluid before allowing the young to sack in these circumstances, a practice we have seen adopted with working mares with apparently good results. The plan gives pause for the subsidence of a maternal excitement if it has no other recommenelation. Dashing cold water over the udder on returning from work is a custom in some of the western counties, but not one that we should be disposed to recommend,—The Field.