Granular Venereal Disease of Cows 1079 



Vulvar discharge was generally present, and the muco-purulent 

 substance accumulated in dirty crusts about the vulva and tail. 

 The herd of 40 cows was established in 1905, and during the 

 three subsequent years 74 difiEerent cows entered the stable, 34, 

 or 46%, of which have been sold or slaughtered. Though the 

 records of the dairy are not explicit as to reasons for disposal, 

 the prevailing reason for slaughter or sale, so far as can be deter- 

 mined, was abortion, followed by sterility and an unprofitable 

 milk production. 



At the date of inspection, 24 cows, or 60%, were pregnant, 

 and 16, or 40%, were barren. Many of these had been repeat- 

 edly bred, without result, and several of them had proven so 

 persistently sterile that it was intended to slaughter them for 

 beef. The institution to which the dairy belongs requires a large 

 amount of beef for its inmates, and consequently they have aimed 

 to butcher each cow which proves unprofitable as a dairy animal, 

 as soon as she can be put in fair beef condition. New cows in 

 advanced pregnancy, or recently fresh, are bought to replace 

 them, and thus the proportion of sterile animals is reduced to a 

 minimum. 



The data regarding abortion in the herd is also inaccurate. In 

 general terms, the superintendent states that abortion has been 

 frequent during the entire history of the dairy. Some have 

 aborted two and three times in succession. Generally they are 

 butchered before abortion occurs more frequently than twice. 



While the losses in this herd have not been so great as those 

 recorded by some European observers, they have nevertheless 

 been serious, so much so that the governors of the institution to 

 which the dairy belongs are very anxious to check the severe 

 economic losses. Since they do not attempt to raise the calves, 

 they do not feel severely the direct loss from abortion or sterility ; 

 and the fact that the institution can make good use of each fat 

 cow for beef diminishes greatly the economic losses on the cows 

 themselves. Even under these exceptional conditions, and with 

 the disease in the herd of a mild character as compared with the 

 malady in some other herds coming within our observation, the 

 economic losses from impairment of milk production are proving 

 a severe burden. It is difficult, under the conditions, to produce 

 sufficient milk, or at a reasonable cost, for the use of the inmates 

 of the institution. 



