Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-11-26
Abortion in Cows.

With November, says a cores
pondent, comes to many farmers tina:
most annoying of troubles, abol ton.
When or where it first became cpl
demic am not well read enough to
know, but the years are not very
many since the dairy region within
limit of thirty or forty miles of
Philadelphia has been scourged with
it. Previously, though it was moth
ing uncommon for a COW to drop 4
premature calf, it was generally
caused by ill-treatment by man or by
other cattle, and never affected other
members of the herd. Now, that it
has assumed the form of a disease
and become epidemic, its prevalence
is greatest among the best selected
and most nicely cared for diaries.
And though in time it will probably
run its course like all other diseases,
and become well enough understood
to yield to q fixed treatment just now
it is the most serious drawback far
mers have 10 contend with. All sci
entitic investigation SO far has failed
to point out preventive. About the
only good effect has been to explode
some blind theories-and almost
every one has his theory, your hum
bic correspon lent among the number.
How blind my may prove, some
investigator can probably say; but
as started to give it, will do SO
briefly.
Five years ago then recently
purchased COW introduced the disease
among my flock SO thoroughly that
only l COW escaped, and she was SO
proof against it that she has carried
her calf full time each year since
all the others abortcd within from
two weeks to three months, one very
fine COW dying. For the next three
years it visited the flock with more
or less severity, regularly coming
about the first of November. Re
placing the afflicted cows by others
only aggravated the disease they
suffered worse than those that passed
Il year or more on the property. In
casting about for the origin of the
trouble, noticed that cows physick-
ed from any cause were more likely
to abort; and also remember that
the introduction OF the disease among
my cows followed very closely after
they had access to a stack OF wheat
straw against which fish brine had
been thrown. This, coupled with
the fact that frosted grass is liable to
scour stock, confirms me in the be-
lief that laxative state of the bowels
is very liable to bring ON abortion i'll
"a herd predisposed to it. Acting on
the hint, l am very careful about Civ
ing much salt at this season Of the
year, or Of anything else that will
cause looseness Of the bowels. If
my theory is correct, remedi will
doubtless be devised to counterfeit
the purgative tendencies Of food on
stock.
For some cause or other l have
had less trouble from the disease for
the last two years-last year having
but few, ana this year none SO far;
while my neighbors are having the
usual run of luck. Last year | came
across cautious article, stating that
at the suggestion of a friend he had
used asatGida in the fall and winter,
about the size of a shellbark to each
COW, once a week in thin shavings
mixed with meal. Though not rec
ommending it as an absolute specific
he believed lie had received marked
benefit from its use. Being very
simple and plausible remedy, l tried
it last FALL and winter as recommend
ell, and, as stated, had but few pre-
ln..ure calves. One very good COW
which had never carried her calf full