Museo Etnografico di Aquilonia Beniamino Tartaglia
Veterinario, Riproduzione degli animali
Veterenary, Animals reproduction
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Veterinario, Riproduzione degli animali
VETERINARIO
Dopo secoli nei quali la cura della malattie degli animali è stata affidata a maniscalchi e praticoni, i progressi della scienza medica e della biologia diedero origine ad una nuova figura professionale, quella del veterinario. Agli inizi si trattava di vecchi empirici e di allevatori esperti, abilitati all’esercizio della professione.
Come con il medico, si ricorreva a lui solo in caso di grave emergenza. I contadini, conoscendo i limiti oggettivi dei suoi interventi su morbi senza scampo, facevano da sé e preferivano lasciar morire o uccidere gli animali ammalati per ricavarne carne che si acquistava a prezzi stracciati.
Il veterinario interveniva chirurgicamente, spesso con la collaborazione del maniscalco.
Controllava il passaggio delle mandrie in occasione della loro transumanza e, inoltre, sorvegliava sull’igiene delle macellerie, ne ispezionava la carne e ne autorizzava la commercializzazione.
RIPRODUZIONE ANIMALI
Diversi i tempi e le modalità ma di assoluto rilievo, per il suo peso economico, la riproduzione degli animali che assicurava il ricambio, la continuità e l’arricchimento delle greggi, delle mandrie e degli allevamenti domestici.
Attente le cure loro dedicate durante le stagioni della “monta” (quando gli animali si accoppiavano) e per tutto il periodo della gestazione. Premure straordinarie e competenza specifica (non di ordine scientifico, ma pratiche ed empiriche, trasmesse dall’esperienza degli antenati o apprese sul campo) scattavano al momento del parto e durante i primi giorni di crescita dei nuovi nati.
Veterenary, Animals reproduction
VETERENARY
After many centuries during which the care of the animals health had been the task of blacksmiths and other less than knowledgeable practitioners, scientific progress finally gave rise to a much more suitable professional, the Veterinarian. At first, he was anold (vetus in Latin) peasant that had raised cattle and other farm animals and so had empirical experience in the profession.
One would call the vet, as one would call the doctor. That is, only in case of emergency. Most often peasants would try to deal with their animals’ diseases themselves. They often let the beast die or killed it before it did, so they could sell its meatas “lower grade meat”.It was cheap and peasants bought it to make it into “Muscisca”.
The vet performed operations, sometimes with the help of a blacksmith, such as castrations, dental cyst removal, prolapses of the anus, uterus or vagina, skin and genitalia scarring. He would also assist in difficult birthing.
During epidemics, in order to contain the spreading of the disease, he recommended, because there were no other useful methods to deal with it, the burning of the carcasses or the burial of the infected animals.
He gave advice to the breeders, since he often had some botany knowledge, as to what to feed the animals. He advised on when to move the herds from the lowlands to the highlands (usually this move, known as “Transumanza,” took place in June and November).
He was also the health inspector for the various village butcher shops. He inspected the meat and authorized its sale.
ANIMALS REPRODUCTION
This was of great importance to the economy. Animal reproduction ensured the continuity of the herd. It also increased the number of animals in it and its value.
Owners took special care, during the months when the animals were in heat, to ensure that their coupling succeeded and paid special attention to the following months of gestation. They used methods and remediespassed on by their forefathers. They witnessed the birthing and followed with extreme care the first few days of the life of the newborn animals.