Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-05-01
DIR. BILLINGS TALK ON
CONTAGIOUS ABORTION

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All abortion in cattle is not
contagious. Accidents. feeds,
violent exercise. etc.. may cause
a COW to abort. A COW may slip,
may fall. may be hooked by an
other animal, or the dog may be
permitted to chase the pregnant,
all of which may produce imma-
ture delivery. At times lack of
proper feeds or feeds lacking in
minerals, or spoiled feed will
cause abortion. There are so
called commercial mineral feeds
on the market guaranteed to
cure all ills to which dairy cattle
are heirs, but dairymen will pro-
fit by giving such preparations q
wide berth as cure-alls. Minerals
are often necessary in the ra-
ton. Raw and steamed bone
meal are good mineral feeds. The
dairyman can buy the raw mater
ials and mix them himself cheap
er than he can buy the CONNER
cial products. He should steer
clear of mineral mixtures that
smell badly. these contain much
fertilizer. Spent bone black Is a
good substitute for raw bone
meal.
There is no known cure for
contagious abortion. This dis
ease is confined to cattle though
hogs may possibly be infected
from the cows. Contagious abor-
ton is an infection of the geni-
tai organs. The most common
symptoms are several cows abort
ing about the same time. failure
to breed, navel troubles. and
scours in the calves causing the
death of nearly all. Sometimes
several symptoms act together;
failure to breed and scours gener-
ally accompany each other. After
several abortions a COW may be-
come immune or she may be-
come permanently sterile. Abor-
ton may occur any time from
service to the end of CESSATION
period. Blood tests for deter
mining the presence of the dis
ease germs are very accurate.
A dairyman in whose herd con-
tagious abortion has gained a
foothold may sell his aborting
animals, or keep them as they
will eventually become immune,
or try to cure them with vac
cines, however. the value of the
cure is not definitely known.
| Nor is the method of transmits
sion definitely known. The bull
may transmit the disease, al.
though that is doubtful. The
most likely agent are evidently
the discharges from the animal
These discharges. the afterbirtl
and the fetus should be CAREFUL!
destroyed. It is useless to us,
disinfectants in the vagina as dis
infectants strong enough to xii
the germs would destroy the or
gans. however. three or fou
quarts Of warm water and sal
may be used as a douche. II i
also advisable to douche the bull
as a measure of safety.
In contagious abortion tn,
afterbirth is often retained
This should be removed within
a maximum of 48 hours; but il
is dangerous to the COW and to
the dairyman to try to remove
the afterbirth. If the owner at.
tempts this operation. he should
cover his hand and arm well with
vaseline; better secure the ser.
vice of one who has training for
that. As a stimulant for the
COW give her about a gallon of
good strong coffee; as a flush.
use a little warm salt water.
In difficult delivery it is dan
gerous to both cow and calf to
use a windlass or wire stretcher;
such procedure may kill both. II
is desirable TO spread lime in the
gutter or behind the cows after