Abortion in Cows. 
457 
Farm 19. — Mr. T. M.'s. Mr. T. M. keeps 5 cows. This case has much 
the appearance of an infectious malady, taken by itself. More particulars 
than contained in the following Plan could not be obtained, except that the 
cows were served by two bulls, and that they ran out for an hour or two each 
day. No abortions had occurred on the farm prior to Dec. 1883, aud none 
since Feb. 188-i. 
Total number, 4. 
Plax of Mr. T. M.'s Shed. 
Aborted in Dec. 
1885. Has 
since carried 
two calves 
their fall 
period here. 
First to abort. 
5. 
Geld. 
Due in June, 
Bold in Jlay. 
She carried 
her calf the 
fuU period. 
3. 
Aborted in Feb. 
Sold after 
being served. 
Aborted in Feb. 
Sold after 
beiag served. 
Uncertain which of these two 
were the first to abort, they 
were both in same months. 
Aborted in Jan. 
ltiS4. Served 
again and wont 
lull time here, 
and has since 
carried .1 second 
calf the full 
period. 
Second to abort. 
1. 
Farm 20. — Mr. M.'s, Mr. M. keeps 6 cows. This is the only instance 
in which I have found an xindoubted example of the sclerotium of ergot in 
hay, though my friend, Mr. T. Toope, has since found some in large quantities 
in a stack some ten miles from here, as yet unconsumed. 
Mr. M. mowed a field on August 11th and 12th, 1882 (the date is 
remembered because he left off mowing to go to the annual dinner given 
by M. F. H.). The weather being unfavourable, it was some six weeks 
before the hay was stacked, and it has only been used when better hay ran short. 
In the spring of 1883 two cows aborted, and on Feb. 4th, 1886, another did 
so, all going well in the meantime. On both occasions this hay was given to 
the cows. 
Total number, 3.* 
Plan of IIr. M.'s Shed, taken February 16, 1886. 
7. 
Bull. 
Calved Fell. 
14, at fuU 
time. 
Calved at full, 
Jan. 21. 
4. 
Aborted at about 6 
weeks off, on Feb. 
4. Not removed. 
Calf de.id but 
fresh. Cleansed 
two days after- 
wards. Ergot 
found in the hay. 
4. 
In-calf, due 
in ilarch 
or April. 
Calved at 
full time. 
May 4. 
2. 
Fat. 
1. 
Calved at full 
time. Feb. 
14, 1836. 
Farm, 21. — Mr. I. D.'s. At this farm a number of heifers are bought for 
fattening. Those that turn out to be in-calf are kept and calved, and then 
usually sold. In the spring of 1884 he bad two abort in one shed, and one in 
another, none having occurred for many years previously or since. They ran 
* September 1st, 1S86, I examined the meadow on Farm 20, from which the 
hay was made which contained ergot as mentioned above. It hud not then been 
mown; I found ergot ia the grass. It had been pastured from 1882 till this 
year. On the same day I discovered ergot in some meadow hay, part of it having 
been already conveyed to the stack; it was on Farm 5. I think this waa^the 
second year the field had been mown. 
VOL. XXII.— S. S. 2 H 
