About the disease

Management Methods

Abortion

About the Diseases

Nature of disease
Expulsion of a dead or live recognizable size fetus at any stage of gestation (45-60 days onwards to parturition) is called as abortion. This may be due to various causes.

Casuses
Infectious conditions such as Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD), Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBRT), Leptospirosis, Brucellosis, Mycotic abortion, Actinomyces, Trichomoniasis, Campylobacteriosis, Listeriosis, Chlamydiosis, and Epizootic Bovine Abortion may cause abortion in cattle. Severe trauma, severe torsion of the uterus and twinning may cause abortion. Toxins can cause abortion in cows. Coumarins from rat poison and moldy sweet clover can cause abortion. Nitrates, chlorinated napthalenes, arsenics can cause abortion. Locoweeds, perennial broom weed and pine needles can cause abortion. Estrogenic compounds may cause abortion. Douching and infusion or Artificial insemination of the pregnant animals causes abortion. Vitamin A, iodine and selenium deficiencies can cause abortion.

Symptoms

Clinical symptoms
Protrusion of fetal membranes or water bags from the vulva prior to expected date of calving. Discharges from the vulva. Spontaneous expulsion of a dead or live recognizable size fetus without full development. Anorexia, dull and depressed condition of animal.

Management Methods

Prevention and Control measures
	Proper disposal of the aborted fetus and its membranes. Prevention of infected materials (uterine discharges, fetal membranes) ingestion. Always the animal shed should be clean. To prevent abortion due to Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis and Infectious Pustular Vulvovaginitis (IBR-IPV) pregnant cows at any stage of gestation should not be vaccinated with IBR-IPV vaccine. Vaccination can be carried out in heifers at 6-8 months of age. To prevent abortion due to listeriosis, feeding of poor quality silage with high pH should be prevented. To prevent abortion due to brucellosis, vaccination of calves from 3 to 7 months of age with strain 19 Brucella vaccine and bull calves should not be vaccinated. Breeding should be stopped at disease outbreak. Contact between animals should be kept at a minimum during outbreak. Diseased bulls should not be used for breeding. The semen which is used for Artificial Insemination should be free from any infectious agents. Pregnant animals should be protected from other animals attack. Pregnant animal sheds should not be slippery.