354 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



active diseases but a general low condition of 

 the system, such as is brought on by the want 

 of proper food and attention during the winter, 

 and which is likely to show itself in the period 

 of extreme lassitude which marks the passing 

 from winter to spring. The treatment in these 

 cases is, if there are sufficient premonitory 

 symptoms to give an opportunity for preven- 

 tives, perfect quiet and a general toning up of 

 the system. But this rarely occurs. The symp- 

 toms of abortion are generally not sufficiently 

 marked to attract attention till too late to take 

 any steps to prevent its occurrence. Youatt, 

 in his celebrated book on cattle, in many re- 

 spects the pioneer in this field, says that "the 

 cow is, more than any other animal, subject to 

 abortion," and fixes the usual periods of its oc- 

 currence at half the natural period of gestation, 

 seven and eight months. Of these periods, that 

 falling at seven months will in a great pro- 

 portion of cases yield a living calf. The first 

 four to five months, of course, never does, and 

 the eighth month rarely gives a living calf, 

 though I have known one or two to live. 



An abortion is unfortunate as losing the calf, 

 but it is a serious trouble, moreover, often 

 destroying the breeding qualities of the cow. 

 Hence cows which abort must be treated 

 with great care. Sometimes the calf dies be- 

 fore expulsion from the uterus and is fetid 



