The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-15

! That part of the committee on in.
spection of sheep, made the following
report:
Resolved, That we endorse a bill
embracing the following features, as
being the most effective plan for the
eradication of the disease "scab" in
sheep, and that we urge the
passage of a law by the legis-
lature concerning these points:
l. The appointment of an inspector
by the county commissioners, on
recommendation of five or more
sheepmen.
2. That the inspector be well bonded
In sum not less than $1,000 nor more
than 5000.
3. Making it the duty of the in
spector to inspect at any time any
sheep he may have reason to believe
are diseased.
4. Liberal fees TO inspector when
scab is found, and no inspection or
collection in case owners report dis
ease, and proceed to dip at once.
.. Requiring owners to keep in
spectOrS informed of their action, SO
inspectors will not fail to do their
duty.
q. Fines against parties who are OBJ
durate and wilfully fail to cure fiocks
after reasonable time.
Z. Limitation of range, us 4
quarantine measure, by the inspector.
8. Most stringent measures in
regard to travelling sheep and require
mentS of certificate of inspection be-
fore sheep are allowed to ~be moved,
except on the owners range.
8. Notification by the owners of
travelling fiocks to owners of range
through which they drive.
10. Low rates of fees to inspect
ors when certificates are required by
owners of clean moving sheep.
IL. Prescribing the length of IA
days journey for moving flocks, of
not less than five miles each twenty
four hours.
IL. Provididg penalties which
should reach the maximum of juris-
diction of justice courts for any neg
ligence of duty on the part of the in
spector or failure to comply with the
law on the part of sheep owners.
IL. Efficient quarantine measure at
points of debarkatiOn and require
ments of thorough dipping at these
points.
IA. Ordering that owners of eve
| flOckS shall not he required to dip
them for period of twenty days be-
| fore lambing nor while they are lamb
ing.
| Report of committee on diseases of
| live stock: As to cattle the first dis
ease of importance in the state is
| Spanish fever, which is totally differ
ent from any disease of man or beast
in the fact that the individual impart-
/, ing the disease to others is in perfect
| health at the time. The man
ner of communication is I'M
| known. Some well posted and
| experienced men state that it is
| impaired by an eXcreScence from the
| foot; others from the saliva of the
mouth; still others from tick or in
sect. Every cattle man in the southern
| part of the state is familiar with the
| difficulty of introducing. improved
blood from the north and are engaged
in growing cattle in the northern part
of the state, are acquainted with the
| danger to their herds from cattle
driven from the southern part of the
state. There is comparatively little
disease among cattle in the state eX-
cept such as springs from the above
named diseases, growing out of the
removal of cattle from one part of the
state to another. There are several
| other diseases of cattle, all
of minor Importance, such
as blackleg. murrain, etc.
| The diseases that now cost the state
of Texas by far the lergest amount of
money are not to be found in her bor-
| derS, and not even west of the Allegha-
ny mountains. The musty and dirty
COW sheds along the Atlantic coast
cost the state of Texas not less than
ten millions of dollars annually. DIR.
| LOring, the present United States
| commissioner Of agriculture, estimates
that an expenditure of two millions
| of dollars would crush out completely
all contagious diseases, on account
| of which our cattle are now excluded
| from British markets, except when
slaughtered within thirty hours after
landing. The best informed men on
this subject express the opinion that
| if our lean cattle, us well as our fat
ones, were permitted to be fed and
grazed in Great Britain, the value
| would be increased two dol
lars per head, or ten
million of dollars per year, estimating
the cattle of the state five millions in
number. Putting the entire cattle of
the United States at forty millions in
number, our propOrtionate part of the
expense would be only fifty thousand
| dollars, where we would receive Il
benefit of at least ten millions of dol
lars, to say nothing of the increased
value of our lands and other property
growing out of the increased value Of
| cattle.
OF live stock sheep stand next in
Importance, the most important dis
eases of which are lombriZe and Scab,
both of which are highly contagious.
| LOmbriZe is disease of the stomach,
which has bafiled, so far, medical skill,
and is very fatal. Scab is disease of
the skin, which often causes the loss
of the wool and sometimes destroys
entire flocks of sheep.
The leading diseases of horses are
distemper, Spanish itch and loco.
The first. which prevails throughout
the state and destroys great many
horses, is a disease of the glands, and
is highly contagious. Spanish itch is
believed to depend entirely upon in
sect life. 1t entirely strips the horse
of hair and health, ang is also cOnta-
giOuS. Loco is comparatively new
disease caused by the eating of an
evergreen plant of the dusty miller
family of that name, which very soon
destroys the health and strength of
the animal, rendering him entirely
useless, he refusing to perform any of
the duties required of him, losing his
entire senses as to behavior, concep-
ton of heights and distances, and
after few weeks he generally drOops
and dies. The importance of these
various diseases is such that your
committee upon the diseases of live
stock recommends that this aSSocia-
ton petition the legislature now in
session to make an appropriation fol
the employment of the most skillful
veterinary surgeon that can be found
The committee on grazing and fenc-
ing reported as follows:
To the Hon. James Miller, President of the
Texas Stock Association:
Your committee on grazing and fencing
would respectfully suggest that there IL
an urgent necessity Tor some law regulat
ing the renta value or to proportion thu
number of stock within an enclosure
where the land therein is owned by diff
| ferent proprietors, and they cannot agree
| as to such rental value or TO the number
of stock which each party may pasture IL
| such enclosure, and would suggest to thu
legislature of our state the passage of
, law in substance as follows: