The Ronan pioneer., 1917-01-26
INCREASING LOSS
DUE TO ABORTION
IN SOME LOCALITIES IA 8 IT.
SPRING VIRTUALLY WHOLE
CROP OF CALVES LOST.
Only for Year or Two Has True Ma
ture of Disease Been Understood:
No Satisfactory Treatment Yet De-
yised for Treatment of Whole
Herd; Many Use Carbolic Acid.

No Satisfactory Treatment Yet De-
yised for Treatment of Whole
Herd; Many Use Carbolic Acid.
In the spring of 1916 there were
greater losses from abortion among
cattle in Montana than have ever
occurred before. In some localities
virtually the whole crop of calves
was lost 1t is hard to say what
caused this wholesale abortion. No
doubt some of it was due, directly or
indirectly, to the terrific winter
which preceded and some of it was
due to insufficient or improper feed,
but it is very probable that a large
percentage of the abortion was
caused by the disease of contagious
abortion, which is getting firm hold
on the whole country.
Montana stockmen should become
familiar with this disease, with just
what it is, and the few treatments
that have been found for it's CONTROL
SO that should it become prevalent
this spring again they may be able to
meet the problem intelligently.
Abortion Only One Symptom.
Only for the last year or two
have we been able to understand the
now that abortion, or "slinking of
calf" or the birth of the young be-
fore it's full time, is only one of a
Barrenness, or sterility, retained aft
| nr1,i twill inf Of hn ,1fn
etc., are other evidences of the pres
ence of contagious abortion.
Of course, abortions are produced
by many other causes, such as acci-
dents, feed, etc., but it is Impossible
tions from an abortion due to dis
ease. By an examination of the
blood at some laboratory, diagnosis
can be made, but in no other way.
When abortions occur in herd, not
along for several months, we can be
reasonably sure that contagious
abortion is the cause.
Spread by Diseased Cow.
The disease is spread principally
by the diseased COW. A COW which
has aborted once may or may not
abort again, the majority of COWS be-
ing immune after one or two abor-
tions. But she continues to carry
and spread the disease, though pro-
ducing healthy and normal calves,
and herself normal and healthy in
appearance.
Very frequently a COW. after abor-
ton, becomes sterile and very little
can be done to remedy it. The trou-
BILE is usually located in the ovaries,
and cannot be reached by external
treatment or douches, disinfectants,
or the like. After they have been
bred a number of times and do not
conceive, they may as we'll be fat
tened and sold for beef.
When a COW aborts, especially if
in or around the barn, the fetus and
all it's membranes, together with all
bedding, should be burned or buried
and the ground or floor carefully dis
infected.
Aborting Cow Should Be Isolated.
The aborting COW should be at
once removed from the herd and
kept isolated until all signs of infec-
ton and discharge have disappeared.
The uterus of this COW should be ir-
rigated daily with a weak disinfect-
ant (lysol one ounce to gallon OF
water, or potassium permanganate,
one part to 1000 parts of water)
; Three or four gallons should be used
daily, until all discharge has dis
appeared. Unless she is treated she
will very likely be sterile. She
should not be bred for two Or three
months after an abortion. Such a
COW should by no means be sold. The
, chances for her to produce normal
calf are as good as for any cow in the
herd
The bull may serve as carrier OF
the disease, and after service with al
aborting COW, should be disinfecteC
by means of two ounce syringe anC
some such disinfectant as give1
above.
The treatment of the whole herd i:
quite a problem, and no entirely sat
isfactory scheme has yet been de
; vised. The carbolic acid treatmen
has been used by a great many stock
, men in the state, with fairly good re
suits. The carbolic acid, in fou1
!. per cent solution, is given either II
doses of 10 cubic centimeters weekly
: with a hypodermic syringe, under thu
> skin, or is fed daily in two or three
), ounce doses in the grain. Range
cattle have been fed carbolic in thei1
salt, with some success. This |:
. not a specific, nor a sure cure, bu
it is worth trying.
> Loan Associations Formed.
The Hamilton Farm Loan associa
= ton, organized for the purpose of Sc
- o,,rinp loans under the farm LOAF