326 CATTI^B. 



Others, in advanced pregnancy, they fail to come away, and remain 

 hanging from the vulva, putrefying and falling piecemeal — finally re- 

 sulting in a fetid discharge from the womb. According to the size 

 of the herd contagious abortions will follow one another at intervals of 

 one to four or more weeks, in the order of their infection or of the re- 

 currence of the period of activity of the womb which corresponds to the 

 occurrence of heat. 



Prevention. Weakness and bloodlessness are to be obviated by 

 generous feeding, and especially in aliments, (wheat bran, rape cake, 

 cottonseed, oats, barley, beans, peas, etc.), rich in earthy salts, which 

 will also serve to correct the morbid appetite. This will also regenerate 

 the exhausted soil if the manure is returned to it. In the same way the 

 application of ground bones or phosphates will correct the evil, acting in 

 this case through the cioil first and raising better food for the stock. The 

 ravages of worms are to be obviated by avoiding infested pastures, ponds, 

 streams, shallow wells or those receiving any surface leakage from land 

 where stock go, and by feeding salt at will, as this agent is destructive 

 to most young worms. 



The tendency to urinary calculi in winter is avoided by a succulent 

 diet (ensilage, steamed food, roots, pumpkins, apples, potatoes, slops), 

 and by the avoidance of the special causes named under Gravel. Fur- 

 nishing water inside the barn in winter in place of driving once a day to 

 take their fill of ice-cold liquid will obviate a common evil. Putrid and 

 stagnant water are to be avoided. Sudden changes of food are always 

 reprehensible, but much more so in the pregnant animal. Let the change 

 be gradual. So with what is spoiled or unwholesome. 



In case of prevalence of ergot in a pasture it should be kept eaten 

 down, or cut down with a mower, so that no portion runs to seed. In 

 case of a meadow the grass must be cut early before the seeds have filled. 

 The most dangerous time appears to be between the formation of the 

 milky seed and the full ripening. Yet the ergot is larger in proportion 

 to the ripeness, so that the loss of potency is made up in quantity. The 

 ripe seed and ergot may be removed by threshing and the hay safely fed. 

 It may also be noted that both ergot and smut may be safely fed in 

 moderate quantity, provided it is used with succulent food (ensilage, 

 roots, etc. ) or with free access to water, and salt is an excellent acces- 

 sory as encouraging the animal to drink. Both ergot and smut are 

 most injurious in winter when the water supply is frozen up or accessi- 

 ble only at long intervals. The ergoted seed when threshed out can 



