CARE AND FEEDING OF DAIRY CATTLE. 



45 



ABOBTION. 



Abortion is the birth of a calf before the proper time. There are two forms, 

 contagious and nou-coutagious. When abortion occurs it is often difficult to tell 

 whether it is contagious or not, so that precautions must be taken, anyway. Acci- 

 dental or non-contagious abortion may be the result of a severe blow or kick, 

 excitement, or improper feeding. Ergot is also a well-known cause. Ergot is a 

 black fungus growing on the heads of grasses or grains. Rye, rye-grass, and blue- 

 grass are especially subject to ergot. A single case of abortion will likely be acci- 

 dental, but if several occur the cause must be found and removed. 



CONTAGIOUS ABORTION. 



This is one of the most serious diseases of cattle, causing enormous losses 

 annually. No sure remedy has yet been found. The germs of the disease may exist 

 in the womb, blood, or milk of the cow, and it is a difficult matter to get rid of 

 them. In this disease the calf is usually expelled about the sixth or seventh month. 

 Generally, the cow does not become sick, but the milk yield is much smaller than 

 normal. If the cow is milking at the time she aborts, the fact may never be noticed. 

 The small foetus and the slight discharge may not be seen by the attendant. Having 

 once aborted, a cow is liable to have the same trouble about the same time in the 

 next pregnancy. Besides the females, the bull may also carry the germs of abortion 

 on the genital organs. 



Apparatus for weighing, recording, and testing milk. Milk record sheets, scales, and 



Babcock testing outfit. 



It must be remembered that abortion is only a symptom of the disease itself, 

 which is caused by a specific germ, the abortion bacillus. Investigators say that 

 infection by this germ occurs chiefly during two danger periods viz., during the 

 time the young calf is being fed infected milk and later in life at breeding-time. It 

 has been definitely shown that the milk of apparently healthy dairy cows may 

 contain the abortion bacillus. This milk fed raw to calves may cause infection soon 

 after birth. The disease then seems to become dormant until the animals reach 

 breeding age, when the degree of the infection is greatly intensified, and abortion 

 usually follows in the first pregnancy of females. It is claimed that infected calves 

 can be identified by the external appearance of the genital organs. In the infected 

 heifer calf or cow the tuft of hairs at the lower end of the vulva will be matted 

 together with black crusts of micro-pus or matter. In the case of infected bull 

 calves or older bulls the hairs at the opening of the sheath will be similarly matted. 



