Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-03-23
Lice of Cattle.

Lice of Cattle.
Those who write to us about this
time of the year complaining that their
cattle are lousy are doubtless unaware
of the fact that there are two kinds of
lice which infest cattle. They are di-
vided into two separate families-viz..
sucking lice and biting lice. OF the
first named there are two varieties
viz, short-nosed louise and long-nosed
louise. OF these two the short-nosed
1ouse is the larger and most difficult to
destroy 1t is to be found mainly
about the neck and shoulders, which
parts are often denuded of hair by the
rubbing induced by the itchinesS
caused by the little pest. The long
nosed louise is, however. the most IA
miliar to cattle breeders. The body
is about an eighth of an inch long and
about third of that in width. The
head is long and slender without Wis
ible eyes. The one species of biting
louise is very common upon cattle and
is easily recognized and differentiated
from the sucking louise. as it is red
while the other is blue. 1t is often
called "the little red louse," but al
though it is more common than the
sucking louise does not cause so much
real damage as its blue relative. The
biting louise has a pair of cutting and
biting jaws and attacks the animal
along the spine, hips, rump, and some
times the head and neck. Its body
does not fill up with blood as does
that of the sucking louise, but it leads
to great deal of discomfort where
numerous. One notices the presence
of lice about this time of the year and
towards spring. The cattle rub them
selves on posts and fences and often
do so in such a vigorous manner as to
scratch the skin. causing it to bleed
and become bare of hair. Emaciation
is then likely to follow, and if the cat
tie be not relieved the owner is con-
! siderable loser from his feeding opera
| tions.
When any of the above symptoms
are observed the cattle should be ex-
amined for lice and it is best done
| after they have stood in the sun for
| a time as the louise comes toward the
surface when warm. If it is found, the
building occupied by the cattle should
be vacated then thoroughly cleansed
| and whitewashed, adding quarter OF
a pound of chloride of lime to each
pailful of lime wash. The cattle should
| not be returned to the building before
| thCy nave OCSh f1SOIOuSly IICdICQ AOA
lice with one of the usual remedies
The Bureau of Animal Industry ad-
vises the use of a decoction of fish
berries (Cocculus Indicus). Take half
a pound of the berries for each ami
NAL, pound fine, then add two quarts
of vinegar and set on the stove to
simmer for an hour. Apply this thor
oughly by rubbing it into the hair of
the affected parts. This will not in
jure the skin or sicken the animals
and is said to remain 1o1g enough to
kill all of the young lice as they hatch
out of the "nits.'' Professor Riley's
kerosene emulsion is also highly rec
commended and is prepared as follows:
| Kerosene, two gallons; common or
whale-oil soap. one quarter pound:
water, one gallon. Heat the solution
of soap and add it boiling hot to the
kerosense. Churn the mixture for five
or ten minutes or long enough to make
an emulsion. Dilute the emulsion with
eight parts of water, and apply it to
the animal by a thorough rubbing.
Fifty animals can be treated with ten
gallons OF this emulsion. Another ia
vorite application for lice and espe-
cial1y the lice of horses, is stavesacre
seeds, four ounces; boiling water, one
quart Apply twice daily when solu-
ton is cold. For lice on hogs a So
luton of chloro-naphtholeum is found
very effective. Some use one-third tur
pentine, two-thirds machine oil, and
claim to have the best of results.
Horse Sales at Chicago.
During the last week in January and
the first week in February horse re-
ceipts at Chicago were the largest in
about four months, February 4th's re-
ceipts were the largest for any day
since September, 1899. Receipts foi
January aggregated 1888 horses, and
Glib shipments, against II .074 arrivals
and 1894 shipments last year, 0,43z
arrivals and 9,158 shipments in 1899
,375 arrivals and 9,159 shipments in
1898 and 9,206 horses reported and
} 1882 head shipped for January, 1897
The most active inquiry was for farm
chunks which sold for $50 to s135 fol
medium to good animals weighing
1,2OO to 1,500 pounds. Many horse.
that would weigh from 900 to 1.10t
pounds were purchased for southern
markets. Foreign purchases also in
. creased the latter part of January, thu
, bulk of the trade being for bussers a
$50 to $11O- Draft horses of good quail
ity brought 5000 to $225. Agents from
the lumber regions bought literally TO
logging purposes and also took SOM
draft animals. Buyers of cavalr,
horses for the British army were like
wise in the market. At a special sal,
,, of drafters and roadsters, SIS horse
II were disposed of, the bussers brfngin,