CONTAGIOUS ABORTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19721, 11 December 1926, Page 23 (Supplement)

CONTAGIOUS ABORTION

GERMS IN THE UDDER RECENT INVESTIGATION It has long been known that the udder may be the lodging and living place of the Bacterium abortus, oi Bang, which is the chief cause of the contagious abortion disease. It has never been shown, however, that milk from an udder containing the germs is dangerous, on that account, to the human race; although it may, at leas: temporarily, affect a nursing calf. The interesting thing to know, in this con nection, is that the udder may retain the germs for a long time and be the source of infection of the womb when the cow becomes pregnant. The germs of the disease' seldom persist in the womb of the affected cow longer than two months after she has aborted or delivered a calf at full-time.

J. M. Buck, associate bacteriologist, and G. T. Creech, assistant veterinarian, of the pathological division of the Bureau of Animal Industry, U.S. Department of Agriculture, arc of the opinion that “although, in rare instances, the abortion disease infection has been found localised in organs other than the uterus, and association lympth glands of tho latter, it seems highly probable that it is commonly the udder which harbours ihe infection in the animal between gestation period, and acts as a source of infection for the uterus when conditions are favourable for the multiplation of the bacterium abortus therein.”’ Tho research scientists mentioned have conducted a series of exhaustive experiments to determine whether Bact. abortus udder infection might be overcome by repeated subcutaneous administrations of Bact. abortus bacteriu. The, results of the' experiments arc sum marised as follows:

“Repeated injections of the bacterin, in which the organisms had been killed by heat, did not prove to be of practical value in overcoming Bact. abortus infection in cows.

“Eight of a group of 15 cows with udders infected by Bact. abortus produced milk capable of infecting guinea pigs for approximately two years. “Variations in the quantity of milk produced by a Bact. abortus udder-in-fected cow, provided the animal is milked daily, did not markedly affect the agglutination reaction of the milk whey. “The blood serum of cows which have acquired infectious abortion may react strongly to the agglutination test for at least a year after the disappearance of the infection from the udder, as indicated by guinea-pig inoculation tests. ’ ’

These experiments indicate that not only is Bact. abortus bacterin not ef fective as a destroyer of the abortion infection in cows’ udders, but emphasise tho importance of having the blood of eve’ry suspected cow and heifer tested and retested by tho agglutination method as a necessary part of the campaign against the disease in every infected herd. HERE AND THERE AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS With ordinary care a five or six-year-old horse has a nine or ten years’ life of continuous work in front of him. There are more Hereford cows that have to be milked to keep their udders from spoiling than there arc that do not give enough milk to supply their calves. Never drench a cow that has milk fever. The animal is semi-conscious only, and the liquid is just as liable to enter the lungs as the stomach and cause pneumonia. The size and numbers of veins feeding the udder are indications of the producing ability of the cow. They are, of course, not milk veins at all, but blood vessels. Tho annual sheep returns for 1926 show tho following figures: North Island —11,381 owners, 13,830,250 sheep; South 151and—13,664 owners, 11,074. 743 sheep; Dominion totals, 25,045 owners and 24,904,993 sheep. The size of flocks for the Dominion is indicated as follows: 1 to 200 sheep, 5,916 owners; 201 to 500 sheep, 6,416; 501 to 1,000 sheep, 5,732; 1,001 to 2,500 sheep, 4,858; 2,501 to 5,000 sheep, 1,452; 5,001 to 7,500 sheep, 369; 7,501 to 10,000 sheep, 163; 10,001 to 20,000 sheep, 120; 20,001 sheep and over, 19 owners. South Otago in particular, and the province in general, appear to be well turned over just now. A large acre age has been ploughed, and the Work is now well in hand. Tractors have taken the places of horses to a large extent, and the work is got through much more quickly. Tho tractor will become increasingly popular in tho near future. Several farmers who last sum mer would not even consider tractors told the writer that salesmen have been far better received of late', and it is certain that next season will sec the num ber of tractors in Otago greatly increased. The question of costs is one that can bo argued indefinitely. Both horse and tractor have their advantages, and the supporters of each will never lack substance for argument. But th? day of the tractor is not far off. The extent to which they are' used in Canterbury provided a good recommendation for them.

Once upon a time it was the custom of the press to hold up tho example of the Danes or Americans for Australians to follow. “To-day,” writes an Australian correspondent, “New Zealand is more often cited. Australia is a great market for New Zealand-bred stud dairy stock, and some, magnificent animals of all dairy breeds have been brought he*re. They and thoir progeny in skilful hands have done very well, and have been a tremendous advertisement for New Zealand cattle. I confidently anticipate a bigger demand than eV er for New Zealand dairy stock in tho future, and I believe it will pay New Zealand breeders to develop this market more than has been done in past. New Ze'aland is the natural source of our dairy stud stock, and this wonderful market is only now realising the advantages prevailing from the enterprise and skill of New Zealand breeders. An organised drive for trade in Australia by New Zealand breeders would give mutually advantageous result‘w’*