Chapter 57
Chapter 57: I’ll Settle This Debt for Him~ [Please Follow for Updates]
“Yes.” Xie Changqing nodded: “In other words, when you change feed, you need to do it gradually. You can’t just suddenly switch, especially to grass that’s been covered by snow.”
Previously, they’d been mainly feeding large amounts of dry fodder, so the microbial community in the cattle’s rumens had adapted to a high-fiber, low-energy environment.
When they suddenly consumed large amounts of snow-covered grass, they easily got sick.
Worried that Eris wouldn’t understand, Xie Changqing added a simple explanation: snow-covered grass produces large amounts of volatile fatty acids, disrupting the balance in the cattle’s bodies, which causes this disease.
“I see…” Actually, even with his clear explanation, Eris still didn’t quite understand.
What acids and such—how could grass be acidic?
But he firmly remembered what Xie Changqing said: “Can’t suddenly change grass, can’t eat snow-covered grass.”
“…More or less.” Xie Changqing smiled helplessly and packed up his things: “If you want to feed it, this grass should be dried a bit first.”
With that, he had Eris bring large amounts of warm water to give the cattle gastric lavage.
Actually, a 1% sodium bicarbonate solution would work better, but in their environment, they should save what they could.
This could relieve the cattle’s poisoning symptoms. Xie Changqing paused: “I’ll prepare some neutralizing agents. These few cattle can drink a bit more, the others should drink less.”
By adjusting the feed promptly, there should be no problem.
“Also, for the next two days, just give them water and medicine—no food for two days.”
Cattle wouldn’t die from two days of hunger, but worsening poisoning symptoms could really kill them.
He didn’t stay there long and mounted his horse directly: “I need to go look at Ar’s place.”
If the situation was the same, it might also be this ruminal acidosis.
“Good, I’ll come with you!” Eris enthusiastically followed: “I’m thinking it’s probably the same thing…”
Ar had been up early, sweeping the path in front of his door over and over again before finally seeing Xie Changqing and the others.
He was extremely anxious inside but could only step forward to exchange pleasantries first.
Asking if they’d eaten, how things were lately…
“Let’s not talk about all that now.” Xie Changqing waved his hand and hurried toward the cattle shed: “Let me look at your cattle first.”
When they went over, Eris happily told Ar: “My cattle are fine… haha, Changqing said it’s not serious. Ah, I can finally relax now.”
Ar glanced at Xie Changqing but didn’t respond.
He actually had some doubts about Xie Changqing’s abilities.
After all, given his previous foolish behavior, could he really treat cattle just because his illness was cured?
Xie Changqing also sensed something but didn’t call it out.
After seeing his sick cattle, Xie Changqing was speechless.
He had to say, Ar was truly interesting.
Before the winter migration, he’d started feeding his cattle dry grass, claiming they needed to adapt.
The key was that he even knew to mix the feeds gradually, not switching to dry grass all at once.
But after reaching this pasture, he’d switched completely to grass from under the snow.
Not only did he feed it, he fed very large amounts.
The sick cattle weren’t just these two—there were quite a few more.
These two just had the most severe symptoms. The situation was much more serious than at Eris’s place.
After hearing this, Xie Changqing was almost amused by his anger: “Then when you switched to pasture grass, why didn’t you know to transition gradually?”
“This is fresh grass!” Ar’s eyes widened in disbelief: “I’ve always done it this way before without any problems.”
Before, the snow hadn’t been this deep, and the grass hadn’t been pressed down so badly.
While preparing the medicine, Xie Changqing had them prepare hot water.
While going to get water, Ar secretly asked Eris: “Does he really know what he’s doing? Maybe I should run to the seventh pasture to get a veterinarian… He looks… I just don’t think he’s very reliable…”
For Ar, if not for this heavy snow, he wouldn’t have called Xie Changqing at all.
So previously he hadn’t even gone to Xie Changqing’s house—it was Eris who’d taken the initiative to go.
“Ai ya, you.” Eris sighed and took matters into his own hands: “Hurry up. This isn’t something to joke about.”
Treating sick cattle—either you can do it or you can’t.
Could someone fake knowing how to do this?
“If he really couldn’t do it, would Qiaoba and the others keep him around? Would they not prepare in advance?”
Not to mention anything else, just looking at how Qiaoba and Sangtu watched Xie Changqing, you could tell.
They practically wanted to assign someone to follow and watch him every day, afraid of any mishap.
“With so few people left in our pasture, you should be secretly celebrating if we can get a veterinarian!”
Going to the seventh pasture would mean all the cattle in his shed would probably die on the round trip.
This was really unpleasant to hear, and Ar’s eyebrows bristled: “Hey Eris! I didn’t say anything wrong!”
Little did he know, Xie Changqing had already successfully treated several of Eris’s cattle.
In Eris’s eyes, Xie Changqing was truly much better than his father.
“Before, I had to make several trips before anyone would come.” Eris found it tiresome just thinking about it: “Now Changqing is so good—young and quick too.”
He treated illnesses efficiently too. With these conditions, he was too happy to complain. What was Ar thinking?
The two muttered between themselves but didn’t slack off on getting water.
Xie Changqing didn’t stand on ceremony with them either, having them help hold down cattle and pour water.
These sick cattle had more severe symptoms, and some would be very uncomfortable and try to struggle when being given water.
Inevitably, they got splashed all over.
Ar’s expression was very ugly because in his opinion, sick cattle should be resting peacefully—how could they be tormented like this?
But his attitude didn’t matter at all, because no matter what Xie Changqing said, Eris would eagerly carry it out.
“I really can’t stand your attitude!” When they went to get more water, Ar couldn’t help but spit at him.
Eris laughed and kicked him: “You fool, just keep acting like this if you want.”
“Fool” was what he called him, and Eris raised his head: “Just don’t come crying to me later when Changqing cures your cattle and you can’t bear to give him jerky.”
“Who says I can’t bear to!” Ar’s bull-headed temperament couldn’t stand provocation, and he immediately declared: “I made eighty pounds of beef jerky this year. Doesn’t Xie Changqing still owe Sangtu thirty pounds? If he really has the skill, I’ll settle this debt for him!”
“Oh my.” Eris spoke sarcastically, imitating his speech: “I’ll settle this debt for him~”
With that, he