uy ra HE intense interest of veterinarians and 
ha farmers alike in the sterility question is the 
bs best indication of its importance. As a 
iWlhes ¢. matter of fact, numerous cases of sterility 
a in a herd not only diminish the milk pro- 
Wags) 7° 
duction to a considerable extent, but render 
the whole business a questionable one from the standpoint 
of profit. 
One has to take into consideration the increasing values 
invested in milk cows to understand the strenuous interest 
and effort with which the farmer tries to achieve a condition 
of regular pregnancy among his milkcows, as the only means 
to produce a large enough amount of milk, to make his in- 
vestment profitable. 
If cows do not become pregnant in due time, being per- 
sistently sterile, or conceiving only after a lapse of time, the 
milk production will be, sooner or later, lower than the 
standard. Generally the milk revenue will be also less if 
pregnant cows do not carry out their calves, that is, if they 
abort. 
Anamnestic complaints from the farmers about sterility 
therefore have to be considered with the understanding that 
there is: 
1. Actual sterility, where reproduction is impossible. 
2. Temporary sterility, where an irregular length of 
time elapses between the periods of pregnancy. 
3. Abortion in different stages of pregnancy. 
9 
