450 
Abortion in Cows, 
succeeding part of their history. They were both removed to No, 5 shed, to 
Nos. 3 and 1 stands respectively. 
Here again Mr. B. was trying a very interesting though unintentional 
experiment, for in No. 2 stand, that is, between these two cows, one of which 
had actually aborted in this shed, and the other the daj^ previous to her 
arrival, was a cow that had aborted in Feb. 1885, and which Mr. B. had 
forgotten was due to calve in Feb. 1886. If any cow ever had a fair oppor- 
tunity of being infected, this one had ; but she remained perfectly healthy, 
and was sold on Jan. 25 th within a few days of calving. I afterwards 
ascertained that she calved a healthy full-timed calf during the first week in 
February. 
As tending to show that the above two abortions which at first sight have 
so much the appearance of being due to an infectious agency, were not likely 
to be really due to such, I may point out that the in-calver in the same stall 
(6) (No. 7 stand, vide Flan 3, p. 449) remained there perfectly healthy till 
Dec. 9, and eventually returned there, and calved at the lull time. 
The cause of the abortion in the second animal remains unknown. It 
might have been from ergotised hay or grass consumed previously to its 
arrival in this shed. Or whether keeping a pregnant animal without water 
(except that contained in turnips) would predispose to this malady, I am 
unable from experience to say, though theoretically I should expect it 
would do so. 
On Dec. 1st a cow (being dry) was removed from No. 3 shed. No. 1 stand, 
to the barn-shed. No. 8 stand ; she aborted Dec. 31st. 
Jan. 1st, 1885. — A cow aborted in No. 1 shed, No. 2 stand ; she was not 
removed, and the cow next to her calved at her fuU time Jan. 10th. 
Feb. 10th. — A cow in No. 2 shed. No. 6 stand, which had slipped down 
on Feb. 1st, showed symptoms of aborting ; was removed to No. 5 shed. No. 2 
stand, and aborted Feb. 11th. 
March 20th. — A heifer in the barn-shed showed symptoms of aborting ; 
was removed to No. 5 shed, No. 1 stand, and aborted March 21st. 
Apj-il 4th. — A cow in No. shed. No. 2 stand, due May 4th, aborted; her 
companion in the same stall calving at her full time, April 27th. 
April 24th. — Heifer in barn-shed. No. 4 stand, aborted ; removed same day 
to No. 5 shed, No. 2 stand. 
On the above date the remaining eleven in-calf heifers were turned out 
(night and day) into the ridge fields, where no ergot was found. They 
remained there till June, no abortions in the meantime taking place ; they 
were then brought back to the home pastures. 
June 12th. — Cow in No. 2 shed, stand No. 9, cast a living calf about five 
weeks before her time; it lived, and, the note says, was sold July 6th 
for 10s. %d. 
July 1th. — One of the above heifers cast her calf apparently about three 
weeks before her time. Four of them have since calved at full time. I find 
a note to the effect that an ewe aborted on the 15th of Feb. and was not 
removed from her companions. 
Total number, 50. 
Mr. B. had a heifer abort on August 18th ; she was turned 
with his dairy cows on the 21st, and remained with them till 
the 30th when she was sold. 
September 2nd, a cow suckling a foster-calf aborted in the 
"Spring fields;" she was taken up immediately. On the 17th, 
another aborted in the same pasture ; she also had a calf 
running with her. 
