CHAPTER V 



ABORTION 



Abortion is the premature expulsion of the fetus. Abortion may 

 occur in swine at any time after conception and prior to the time 

 of parturition. If it occurs during the later stages of the period 

 of gestation, the pigs may be alive and, in some instances, may 

 survive. 



PREVALENCE 



Abortion in sows has prevailed in various sections of this country 

 for many years but fortunately it has not occurred, extensively over 

 large sections of the country. During the last few years there have 

 been numerous reports of abortion in swine, and in some localities 

 the condition is becoming so extensive that it is justly causing alarm 

 to the swine breeders. 



SUSCEPTIBILITY 



Abortion in swine is not confined to any particular breed and from 

 the available information the age of the sow does not appear to be 

 a predisposing factor, as it occurs in first breeding sows or in aged 

 sows. 



TYPES OF ABORTION 



Abortion in swine may be classed as accidental, non-specific and 

 specific infective abortion. Accidental abortion is due primarily 

 to injuries. This type of abortion in swine is not very common. 

 Non-specific abortion may be due to improper feed, but is more 

 commonly caused by disease in which there is a high temperature, 

 such as hog cholera. Specific infective abortion in swine designates 

 a condition that has been very prevalent recently, in which the dis- 

 ease is apparently transmitted from animal to animal in a herd and 

 assumes the true characteristics of an infective disease. 



CAUSE 



Certain predisposing factors, no doubt, render swine more subject 

 to abortion. Generally speaking, feed and surroundings are of little 

 consequence as direct factors in the production of abortion except in 

 extreme cases, but improper feed, bad quarters and insanitary sur- 



