CHAPTER XVII 



ABORTION AND OTHER DISEASES INTERFERING 

 WITH BREEDING 



It is estimated that abortion and related diseases are causing 

 more losses to dairy farming than is tuberculosis. The importance 

 of stopping these losses is, therefore, evident. Unfortunately, 

 the knowledge of how to do this is very incomplete at the present 

 time and we must state at the outset that no plan can be offered 

 which may be counted on to clean up abortion troubles in the 

 way that tuberculosis may be cleaned up. There are, however, 

 certain preventive measures that any breeder may use which 

 will decrease his losses, and it is these measures which we will 

 take up. 



239. Definition of terms. — There is much confusion in the use 

 of terms in discussing breeding troubles and it is necessary to state 

 at the outset just what we mean by certain terms. Abortion is the 

 premature birth of a dead calf. The premature birth of a live 

 animal or the birth of a weak or dead calf at term are not abortions 

 strictly speaking, but they are related troubles which may have a 

 similar cause. Retained afterbirth commonly goes along with these 

 other troubles and sterility is a frequent result of them. 



240. Causes of breeding troubles. — Occasionally accidents 

 may cause premature birth but this is not a very common cause. 

 Everyone agrees that abortion is generally due to an infection, but 

 whether this infection is due solely to a specific organism, B. 

 abortus, or whether a variety of infections may cause an inflam- 

 mation of the uterus and result in a premature birth are points 

 which are in debate. Lack of mineral matter in the ration has been 

 given as a cause of breeding troubles. In fact, many have been 

 led to believe through garbled reports of experimental work and 

 through statements of unscrupulous persons having mineral mix- 

 tures to sell that feeding the proper minerals will prevent and 

 cure abortion. This is untrue. No infectious disease can be cured 



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