112 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



that a cow aborts first in the seventh month, the following 

 year in the eighth month, and the nest year carries the calf the 

 regular time, such cases are the exceptio}i in the non-infectious 

 abortion. A premature expulsion occurring earlier than a pre- 

 ceding abortion is mostly due to a diseased placenta. 



5. The influence of the bull. Kretschmar reports a case 

 where all cows served by a certain bull aborted and retained 

 the placenta. This bull came from a cow which aborted 

 repeatedly and almost each time retained the afterbirth. Some 

 think that heavy and large bulls might produce abortion. 

 Stockfleth thinks that crossing of different breeds., especially 

 with shorthorn bulls, is not accused without foundation as a 

 cause of abortion. 



Symptoms. — Abortion in the cow usually occurs between 

 the fourth and seventh month of pregnancy. Expulsion of the 

 foetus iu the third and fourth or fifth months is usually not 

 accompanied by any striking phenomena. Cows at pasture 

 abort without knowledge of the owner. When happening in 

 the stable or when watched at pasture, this premature abortion 

 is recognized by various symptoms. 



One of the first symptoms announcing abortion is the 

 changed lacteal secretion. The quantity decreases and quality 

 changes; the milk is more like colostrum. In heifers, this 

 symptom of course is wanting, as they do not give any milk. 

 The general state of health is but little, if any, changed ; the 

 cow eats well, ruminates ; defsecation, micturition, pulse, tem- 

 perature, are all normal. In some cases the animal is restless 

 and the general health somewhat disturbed. When the foetus 

 is dead some days, but not yet expelled on account of the insuf- 

 ficient dilatation, a bloody mucus flows from the vagina and 

 feeble pains are noticeable now and then. At this period of 

 pregnancy it is difiicult to distinguish between weak uterine 

 contractions and straining in consequence of retarded hard 

 defsecation or diflS.cult micturition. 



The expulsion of the foetus and the' period of oestrum 

 always coincide (Franck) ; the hypersemia of the genitals then 

 present leads to uterine contractions. The connection of the 



