Beech Tree News Network

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” (Prov. 27:23).
    Animals can’t talk and tell us when they are sick, or where they hurt, we must discern that by observation. (Balaam’s donkey did talk to him…Numbers 22:28 & 30). The donkey talked but it had some help from an angel.
    Generally when an animal is well it will arise, stretch, and sometimes yawn. I’m talking here of domesticated animals; I don’t guess I ever saw a possum stretch. Billy Frank is our resident possum who feeds on scraps on our porch.
    If all is well an ole cow will graze awhile, then go off to the shade, recline, and chew on her cud. The chewing of the cud is a normal and healthy act for all the ruminant family. When they don’t, spells that something is wrong and not normal. When grazing cows ingest large amounts of roughage that needs further work. Some large cows have a rumen (first stomach) capacity up to 35 gallons. They must bring it back up in the form of a cud and finish chewing it.
    Back in the old days, some farmers would say that a cow has “lost her cud”. Therefore she is sick. In reality she didn’t lose it; she just couldn’t bring it back up. And that’s not good. A cow’s rumen should churn like a washing machine.
If hogs are suddenly scared-up from their bed and immediately start coughing this is a good sign of lung worms. If a milking sow becomes “irregular” in her bowel habits, she is very likely to develop MMA syndrome: M-metirtis; M-mastitis; A-aglactia. That is: inflammation of the uterus, utter, which causes the lack of milk flow. Prevention? Bulk in the diet---bran; good quality legume hay. Grown sows do well on silage, and/or lugume pasture…all in addition to their regular ration. Wheat bran is high in phosphorus, a good laxative.
In a prolapsed uterus, bathe and clean the organ, apply a goodly amount of sugar before you try to put it back. Sugar brings down the swelling. To fix a prolapsed cow is not that difficult. A sheep is a piece of cake. But a sow is heck on wheels to put back….very difficult.
Footrot in cattle is worse in winter owing to water and mud. A mineral containing iodine will go a long way in preventing this.
Cows grazing in the heat of the day is a good sign of inadequate pasture. Controlling face flies in summer will help prevent pinkeye in cattle.
Research has shown that the greater the circumference of a bull’s scrotum, the younger his female offspring will start cycling (heat).
A sick calf will stand with a dropping head…usually a sign of pneumonia. If not treated, the calf is likely to die within two to three days.
A wormy sheep will have no blood vessels showing in the whites of the eyes.
A hen that is laying well will have a large, bright red comb. If she is of the heavy breeds with naturally yellowish legs and in high production, the yellow legs will bleach-out to white,
If you want to breed a sow back soon after pigging, take the pigs off her for three consecutive days and nights. Make sure the pigs are old enough to eat dry food.
Horses and mules, generally speaking, are probably the healthiest of all the domesticated animals. That’s why a lot of serums used in human medicine are from horses and mules. In folk medicine, if a person kisses a mule he/she will be immune to scarlet fever.
Except those who are really into mules, most folks prefer horses to ride. However, a lot of nobility rode mules. Queen Isabella of Spain preferred riding mules. Also the roman nobility. Nero thought so much of his riding mule he shod him with silver shoes. His wife, the wicked princess Poppaea was even more extravagant---her mules had gold shoes.
“Woe mule woe, woe mule I say. Woe mule woe, woe mule I say, this mule will run away.” Thank you Roy Acuff.
                        Kindest regards…