The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-28
BREEDERS OF FINE STOCK.
Interests of Hog and Cattle-Growing
Discussed by State Associations.
Experts Consider the Causes of Diseases in
Swine and Methods of Treatment-Short-
HOrn-Breeders Elect Officers.
THE swINE-BREEDERs.

Annual Meeting of the State Association
Discussion of Important Topics.
The annual meeting of the Indiana Swine
breeders Association began in the rooms of the
State Board of Agriculture, yesterday afternoon.
large number of the leading swine breeders
of the State are in attendance and lively in
terest is taken in the discussion of questions re-
lating to the business. In his annual address,
d. L. Thomas. the president of the association.
said that in passing through the period of gen.
eral depression in business, the swine breeders
are making less complaint about hard times
than any other class Of people. Hog-raisers
generally he said, are now learning the inn
portance of improved swine. They are realiz-
ing that when times are dull and prices low, they
need to handle stock that can be grown and
marketed with the least expense. Hence, there
is steady demand for stock of
improved breeds. Disease has entailed greater
loss among swine breeders than all other things
combined, yet there is no good excuse for four
fifths of the swine disease that prevails every
year. 1t is popular notion that when a hog
gets sick it has cholera Swine are sub
jected to as many diseases as rpen. and single
remedy will not cure ALL Generally, doctoring
efforts to check it are unsuccessful. This is
doubtless due to the delay in making use of
remedies. Another obstacle in the way of sue
cessful swine-breeding is want of organization
and lack of disposition among hog raisers to aid
in the investigation of diseases. A fallacious
opinion prevails that in-breeding improved
swine is the main cause of disease. There is
less ln-breeding now than at any time since the
flood 1t is also claimed that corn diet is the
cause of hog cholera. The advocates of this
| on inf ha ND
where hogs are rarely fed corn, they sometimes
are found lying dead in large numbers Re-
Gently there have been serious outbreaks of
swine fever in Canada and England, where corn
is scarcely known as diet 1t is popularity be-
lleved that hog diseases are spread by contagion,
and farmers generally believe that disease is
spread by hauling dead hogs along the highways.
The contagion theory has been exploded, but it
is still adhered to by government officials, and
the world at large is hindered from arriving at
correct understanding of the matter. Scientific
Investigations, however, cannot outweigh We
experience of practical men. A letter from
VIM. Smith, jr., of Columbus, was read in
which he said II have been engaged in render
and am proprietor of three factories
located at different points. Since
commenced the business not less than 300, 900
to 400 900 hogs and pigs have been rendered at
my factories. They died from all kinds of dis
eases that hogs are afflicted with In the mean
time have kept hogs, and raised lot of pigs
each year, and they ran in the lots that Enclosed
my factories. and had full access to the offal,
and ate the liver and lungs of hogs that died
from every variety of diseases. During all that
time have never had case of hog cholera
among my hogs"
James Mustard read paper on winter Man
agement of Breeding SWINE" which elected a
prolonged discussion.
In speaking of his observations at county
fairs, T. NJ Reveal said that he had noticed that
nearly always there was much dissatisfaction
with the judges on account Of their awards of
premiums swine. These criticisms were not
always just. He said that standard should be
adopted for judging swine, the same as poultry
and cattle. He was opposed to more than one
man using a complete system in Judging.
There are different systems and none say what
skall disqualify.
A discussion on the subject of the general man
agement of hogs was led in the evening by j.
Byers, and among those who participated were
Messrs Furnas, Mustard, W. c. Williams and
w. E. jackson. The evening session was devoted
chiefly to general discussion on hog cholera.
There was diversity or opinion on the question
of whether or not the disease is contagious. DR..
Simmons argued that the disease was contagious,
and gave scientific reasons in support of his as
sertion, while others related experiences tending
to show that exposure had really been a pro-
lection against the disease
The session will conclude to-day. The election
of officers will occur this morning.