THE DAIRY COW 165 



If the disease gets into the herd the infected cows should 



be thoroughly isolated and well washed and disinfected. 

 The washing and disinfecting include the exterior parts and . 

 extend well into the vagina. The sheath of the bull also 

 should be disinfected after each service. Cures for this dis- 

 ease have not as yet been well worked out and prevention is 

 of primary importance. In case of an infection, however, 

 State authorities might be asked whether they know of a 

 cure. 



Sometimes cows throw their calves from accidental injury. 

 This must not be confused with contagious abortion. If one 

 loses by abortion two or three calves for which he cannot assign 

 a cause, contagious abortion should be suspected, and the 

 precautions named above should be taken. 



SHOULD COWS FRESHEN IN SPRING OR FALL? 



It seems that the natural time for animals to give birth to 

 young is in the spring of the year. Some animals have their 

 young only at this season but the domestic cow can be bred 

 to have her calf at any time during the year. 



Spring Freshening. The advantages of freshening in the 

 spring are as follows: (1) The weather is warm and not much 

 shelter is needed. (2) The cows can go out on pasture which 

 is the best kind of an environment for milk production. (3) 

 Dry cows can be wintered in a cheaper barn than cows giving 

 milk, because as a cow gives milk she loses heat in the form of 

 warmth of milk. (4) The calves can go on grass which is the 

 best kind of feed in addition to milk. 



Fall Freshening. When cows come fresh in the fall, the 

 advantages are: (1) The cows give more milk during the winter 

 when the price for dairy products is higher. (2) When the 

 cows go onto pasture in the spring they increase their milk 

 flow and thus give a larger total quantity of milk during the 

 year. (3) The cows are dry during the hottest part of the 

 summer when the flies are bad and there is the greatest rush 

 of work on the farm. (4) Neither the cows while they are in 

 milk nor the calves when they are small are exposed so much 

 to flies and mosquitoes. (5) The most milking is done in the 

 winter when labor is cheap. 



