Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-01-02
LIV ST0CK <.
TIL CATTLE DISEASE.
EptroR HBsBANpMAS:

AA0 W0AAA0 0A6&ASA'
EDITOR H~BsBANpMAH:
By request for the benefit of stockmen ir
localities that nave not been visited with
the present cattle disease that is raging in
this section of the territory, and from pres
emit indications will keep spreading. | will
give the little Information that | have gain
ed, both from experience and heresay, as to
its first appearance in the territory, also
symptom of animals from first to last after
the attack also condition of animal after
death. | have been told that a few head of
calves died on Red rock over q year ago,
but no conclusion was arrived at at the time
as to fife cause of their death, but since |
hear they nave come to the conclusion that
it was the same disease now raging among
the young stock in this vicinity, from the
tact that they commenced dying there again
as near as | can learn in July last. The
herds of Red rock are the first cattle after
crossing the divide on the stage road conf.
ing north. 1t gradually made its way down
the Beaverhead valley, Poindexter & Orr
being the heaviest losers on the upper Bea-
verhead. For sometime after cattle were
dying among the herds Of the valley, the
herds ranging along the foothills and water
ing from mountain streams, were not affect
ed, and it was thought by many that it was
confined altogether to the low lands; but a
month or more ago the disease seemed to
abate on the valley, and they commenced
dying off rapidly along the mountains, and
tor some time there was only an occasional
one died on the valley but eight or ten
days ago we had three to die in our enclos-
ure in that many days. When the disease
first broke out here we tried many things
good result. The animals whe1 attacked.
as far as were noticed, showed much the
same symptoms. At first the majority OF
them are lame in one leg, and in a shor
time, III most cases, that limb will become
very much enlarged their ears will droop,
eyes sink into their sockets, and the animal
becomes very stupid and indifferent. Many
Of them will die in an hou or two after be-
ing attacked, and In every case after death
the blood will ooze from the eyes and nose.
/ examined two after death by cutting them
up, and found them much the anne After
taking the hide OFT | found in one that the
blood had concentrated in one shoulder, the
lower part of the belly and neck, and in
those parts every vein seemed to have been
ruptured, and blood mingled with flesh.
On opening the animal | found heavy depos-
its OF blood along the windpipe, also the
caul aud leat-fat i%mpregnated with blood,
and the cavities of both lungs aud heart
clogged with blood, and In the Enclosure of
the heart. / found a deposit of yellowish
green matter which showed IN overflow of
the gall. The wiehin described disease is
called by veterinarians the same disease as
is commonly termed .sblack-leg." II this is
true | do not think that disease has been
thoroughly understood by them rs they claim
1t is caused from too good keep. That theo-
~ won't do, Us | know of quite a number of
skimsmilked calves that have died. One
man, Il neighbor OF mine, had six skinl-milk
calves shut up in a pen all summer, and |
think | am safe in saying that they did not
get a bite of green grass during the sum-
lner, and he lost five out of the six. An
other neighbor has lost twelve or fifteen
calves. j. W. Book.
Beaverhead Valley, Dec. II.
--
TRoTTING AND RUNNING HORSES.