The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-26
Cause and Prevention of Abortion
in Cows

Abortion is now known to proceed
causes, for under the first head of spo-
radio abortion it may be caused by in
jury; by disease of the organs of the
body; by unwholesome food or water:
by impure air; by fright or over-exer-
ton; by breeding of immature animals:
by access to blood or slaughter house
refuse. or dead animals, or by eating
ergotlzed grass or grain, saws the
American Cultivator. These two last
may, perhaps, have been included I'M
der the head of unwholesome food and
fright
AS the better the COW the more nerv-
Gus her temperament, it is such cows
that most frequently abort from the
above causes, and so far as possible
they should be avoided. When such a
case occurs the COW should be at once
separated from the others and all
traces of the abortion and the dis
charges removed and buried. or still
better If they are burned Then the
premises should be disinfected by using
IN stables and elsewhere that she has
been a solution of sulphate of copper
chloride of lime or carbolic acid; one
IN nifty parts of water may be en-
ployed. The more freely this is used
the better. For sponging the COWS the
following solution may be used: Corro-
sive sublimate 214 drains, hydrochloric
acid 2R ounces, water two gallons. 1t
is important to note that this solution
is highly dangerous.
The above is the treatment nv the
Royal Agricultural Society of England.
Inc sponging referred to should be of
all the hind parts on which the dis
charges may get, and should be done
at least daily while they continue. as
should also the use of disinfectants in
the stables where she is. 1t will be no.
ticed that they do not advise internal
remedies, while Prof. Law recommends
half-ounce doses of chlorate of potas-
STA, daily, to every COW in a herd where
abortion has occurred, with lower diet
and an occasional mild laxative. When
run down by poor feeding or by earIv
breeding. and feeding for milk (forc-
lng), give tones, as ginger, gentian,
sulphate of iron, phosphate of soda.
When premonitory symptoms of abor-
ton appear, put the COW in a quiet. is
olated place. and give laudanum in
large and repeated doses, half drains
at time.
But while such treatment may pre-
vent the spread of the trouble in a
nerd. there is a true contagious abor-
ton caused by a germ, or microscopic
transferred from one animal to an
other, and less easily checked. In Sc
cere cases, it has been known to go
through the entire herd and to occur
Tor TWO or three years in succession
ana appear even after every animal
had been Killed and a new herd brought
upon the place. but we think in such
cases the disinfection could not have
been thorough, or from some cause the
grass in the pastures or the hay had
become badly ergotized. Feeding oats
or oat hay that was badly smutted has
been known to cause it when fed freely.
While we would strive in all cases to
discover and remove every one of the
above named possible causes, yet if IL
went through the herd. we would dis
pose of every animal and perhaps re-
move all the interior fittings of the
stable if we had not confidence in the
powers of the disinfectants when used
freely.
Another thing should be attended to.
A COW which has aborted once should
not be bred again for some months,
and If not a very valuable one, not at
all but killed. She may be fattened
for beef if she will fatten readily, as
the meat is not injured, but If the cause
is from any internal disease of liver,
stomach or bowels. it may be economy
10 kill and bury her at once. If she
is bred again the bull that serves her
should not be allowed afterward to
mate with other cows.
The cause of this trouble are now
much better known than they were
twenty years ago, and consequently 1t
is easier to guard against it and to
prevent its spread If proper precau
lions are taken.