THE DAIRY HERD 113 



bands should not be drawn any tighter than necessary 

 and may be removed soon after the cow gets on her feet. 

 Repeat the treatment if necessary. 



The treatment above described usually brings relief 

 within a few hours. In a number of emergencies cows 

 have been successfully treated by pumping unfiltered air 

 into the udder with a bicycle pump; but this is liable to 

 result in serious infection of the udder and should be 

 practiced only in an emergency. 



The injection of a gallon of warm, soapy water into 

 the rectum is also desirable. Never administer drenches 

 when the animal is partially unconscious. 



ABORTION. 



Ry abortion is meant the premature birth of the calf. 

 Two forms of this ailment are common: (i) con- 

 tagious abortion caused by bacteria; and (2) accidental 

 abortion caused by a serious nervous shock. The latter 

 may result from external or internal injuries, drinking 

 cold or stagnant water, bad nutrition, exposure to in- 

 clement weather, impure atmosphere, and various con- 

 stitutional diseases. Whenever abortions occur appar- 

 ently without cause, they should be treated as contagious. 



Contagious Abortion. This is a very menacing dis- 

 ease among dairy cattle. It is caused by bacteria which 

 find their way into the reproductive organs. The disease 

 can be successfully combatted only by rigid methods of 

 disinfection and prompt quarantining of the aborting 

 animals. The dead offspring, afterbirth, and stable litter 

 should at once be burned, or buried and covered with 

 quick lime. The stalls and walls should be washed with 

 a i-iooo solution of corrosive sublimate, while the floor 

 may be disinfected with a liberal amount of quick lime. 



