Systematic Control of Genital Infections in Herds 707 



sterile. Males and females sometimes win the highest prizes 

 in breeding or in dairying classes when they are hopelessly 

 sterile or are dry and will never again yield milk. Much of 

 the harm now being done could be overcome by the breed- 

 ers' associations and fair managers by offering prizes for 

 fertility in individuals and in herds, and by basing all milk 

 and butter records and all prizes at fairs upon high stand- 

 ards of fertility. If an animal is shown as a purebred for 

 breeding purposes, let its fertility be proven beyond doubt. 

 If a cow is shown in the dairying classes, let it be proven 

 that she is capable of yielding milk and butter. 



The most regrettable feature in the imprudent destruc- 

 tion of the breeding powers of cattle is the fact that the 

 ruined animals represent the best individuals of their re- 

 spective breeds and should by every scientific and moral 

 consideration be retained as efficient progenitors of their 

 excellent qualities. Instead, when cattle achieve renown, 

 they are ruined by a false ambition to push them one more 

 point. Then the breeder must step downward and back- 

 ward, begin again with ordinary individuals, and labori- 

 ously produce another illustrious family, which he may 

 wreck upon the same shoal. 



The handling of the genital infections of cattle by means 

 of biologic products has been discussed at some length under 

 abortion and congenital diseases of calves. Nothing could 

 be more earnestly desired than a convenient specific for this 

 destructive group of infections, but thus far no notable suc- 

 cess has been achieved, unless calf scours serum is excepted. 

 In this instance the question has been raised whether the 

 success may not be due to the plain serum rather than to the 

 changes brought about by the bacterial inoculations of the 

 horse. At present the outlook for great victories with "bi- 

 ologies" is not hopeful and the representations made by ven- 

 dors of abortion serums, bacterins, and vaccines are not 

 warranted by any recorded facts. 



Some who believe in "contagious abortion" as a specific 

 disease, like tuberculosis or hog cholera, advise the enact- 

 ment of statutory laws placing these general infections 



