Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-04-20

| TaA, SCucIouy dTOuuu Ilc hICCHcu.
For years we have enjoyed blessed
immunity from these disgusting
pests.-N Y. Times.
Hog Cholera
We extract the following from al
article in the Ohio Farmer:
Whatever applies to man in his
physical nature, applies with equal
if not greater force to most Of the
other animals (domestic), especially
the pig; therefore, if we apply the
foregoing conditions. to the subject
in hand, We can plainly see how and
why the hogs have become diseased
"Hog cholera" had its origin, and
has most Largely prevailed in the
great hog-raising districts, where il
is not uncommon to find one, two
and even three and tour hundred
head upon the same farm.
They are allowed to all herd TO-
gether; as many as can sleep in the
same bed; they are fed week after
week upon the same grounds, some
times in the mud, and sometimes
the dust, according as the weather is
wet or dry; but always in their own
excrements they seldom have any
pure water, but their only watering
place filthy and sinking wallow
Under such circumstances they get
lousy and wormy. Filth breeds yer
min.
During the winter season, when
not in pasture, they get nothing to
eat but corn.
Now, kind reader, do you not see
that we have in operation all the
necessary elements, such as over.
crowding, want of pure water, clean.
illness, insufficient variety Of food,
ETC., to produce, if not typhus, dis
ease of a low, malignant and typhoid
grade? And the worst is not yet,
for when once the disease (poison) is
generated, it becomes highly contag-
ious, and when the season favors, be-
comes epidemic also, and spreads
over large districts, and the health
lest and best kept stock arc not safe,
but if exposed to contagion may get
sick and die just the same as the
lousiest and dirtiest pig in the lot.
So much for the nature and cause.
We will now proceed with the
third and last, as we'll as the most
difficult part Of our subject, the pre-
ventlon, though it has to great ex-
tent, been anticipated in treating of
the cause. The first thing in order
is to have healthy stock to begin
with, stock free from all hereditary
and constitutional diseases; next not
to keep too many hogs together in
the same lot or field; to have good,
dry and warm (for winter) but well
ventilated shelters, SO arranged that
not more than from four to six hogs
can occupy the same bed, and al
ways free from dust. BE sure of a
good supply of pure water without
mud.
If there are pools of stagnant
water in their range, they must be
fenced. When not in pasture and
when fattening, feed wheat bran or
ship stuff two or three times a week,
salt regularly, and always breed in
the same stock; that is if you have
Poland Chinas, keep the stock pure
and so of all other breeds. The i'm
portance Of keeping pure breeds of
all kinds of stock, bred from healthy
ancestors, can not be over-estimated.
Drugs are of but little if of any &C
count, as curative measures. There
is no specific for "hog cholera, "
which l say positively, with all due
respect to everybody. Separate the
diseased animals from the healthy
ones at once, feed literally with bran
ship stuffs, oil cake, ETC., and as pre-
ventives you may use iron, capsicum
and spirits turpentine, with good re-
suits.
Dead animals should be promptly
and effectually buried, using freely
of qulcklime over the carcass before
covering with earth.
The hog is omniverous, and to
keep healthy must have variety and
change of food, just as much as man.
Where it has q wide range of pas
ture it may need nothing besides
corn, but when kept in the pen or on
a limited range, something else must
be provided.
There has a great deal been said
OF late upon the subject of "ring-
ing" some go SO far as to ascribe all
the ellis the pig is heir to" to that
cause. For my part, am an advo-
cate of "the ring" and can see no
harm it has ever done, but great
deal Of good, for by its use we are
enable to give the hog the range of
the best pastures, which could not
be done if the ring was discarded
One thing more and l am DONE
Hogs should have good shelter, as
much in the summer as winter.
A. Y. JOHNSON, NJ. d.