308 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May, 1918. 



ACCIDENTAL ABORTION IN DAIRY CATTLE. 



By W. F. Beacoin, Dairy Supervisor. 



Disease in stock is feared by all farmers, but naturally it is held in 

 awe by those who have had experience of its scoiirges. 



Drought and flood can in some measure be guarded against ; ordinary 

 sickness of individual animals can usually be cured, or, at the 

 worst, causes only isolated deaths; but a visitation of contagious or 

 infectious disease may reach even the best-tended herd, and result in 

 heavy monetary loss to the owner. No matter how careful an owner 

 may be in building up his herd, there is always the danger of disease 

 being introduced by contact with a less careful neighbour's cattle or 

 with straying stock. A very unfortunate instance of the introduction of 

 disease some eight years since into a herd of 200 dairy cattle may be 

 mentioned. Actinomycosis (lumpy jaw) was unknown in the herd 

 until a stray bullock affected with the disease broke into one of the 

 paddocks. The pasture was thus infected with the discharge from the 

 abscess of the diseased animal, and since then recurrence of the disease 

 has been common, and the consequent losses have broug'ht home to the 

 owner what initial neglect of contagion means. 



All stock-keepers, whether dairy farmers or graziers, should make 

 themselves conversant with the symptoms of the common complaints ot 

 cattle. Then, should they be unfortunate enough to have an animal 

 attacked by any of these diseases, they will be able to take the required 

 preliminary measures, and, if necessary, report to a competent authority. 



The Veterinary Staff of the Department of Agriculture will always 

 advise owners as to the necessary precautions to take in case of an out- 

 break of disease. 



Notwithstanding this, however, owners frequently see several animals 

 die without rej^orting the matter, and meanwhile the disease may have 

 become so widesj^read that a heavy loss inevitably results, much of 

 which could have been prevented if professional attendance had been 

 obtained at the outset. Sometimes a secretive owner endeavours to sell 

 his cattle when he finds they are diseased. To trade oif a jibbing horse 

 or an indifferent milking cow is by some regarded as a " bit of smart 

 business." This is not the place to discuss the morality of such actions; 

 but the sale of cattle suffering from any notifiable disease is an offence 

 — a crime — that cannot be too often or too severely denounced. Such 

 an act is almost sure to result in heavy loss to the unsuspecting buyer, 

 or, may be, his absolute financial ruin. 



Some diseases are of such an insidious nature, owing to the long 

 incubation period of the germs, or the presence in the herd of a " car- 

 rier," that they may be very strongly established before the owner is 

 aware of it. Two diseases especially are much to be feared by dairy- 

 men on this account, viz., pleuro-pneumonia and contagious abortion. 

 The symptoms and treatment for combating each have previously been 

 dealt with in this Journal, the latter disease being discussed at some 

 length in the issue for June, 1916, a copy of which issue every farmer 

 should keep at hand for ready reference. 



Frequently, however, it is found that dairymen are apt to confuse 

 contagious abortion with the simpler form of this disease, which is the 



