The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-01-03
MONTANA LIVE STOCK IN GOOD
CONDITION.
REPORT BY DR.. KNOWLES
No Anthrax Among Cattle and Gland
ers in Horses is De-
creasing.

submitted his annual report to the
state board of stock commissioners.
It shows a remarkably good condition
of the range animals al to health. He
says:
There has been a notable increase
in the business of the veterinarians
Office over any of the former years of
my incumbency. During the year 1877
calls were answered, against 161 dur
ing the year 1900, and the correspond
ence of the office has materially in
creased, particularly in relation to
,blackleg among calves and in giving
information relative to anthrax among
cattle, which disease has been in ex-
istence during the year in British
Columbia north and the states Of
South Dakota and Nebraska south and
east of us. / am pleased to say that
anthrax has never made it's appear
ance in our state, and I hope that it
eve may. The caution exercised by
the majority of live stock owners
LAlOu6AOuC VNOAJdLd udS UCCn IVopO2.
sible for a number of calls to investi-
gate reported infectious diseases of
various animals that were found to
be unnecessary and the alarm occa-
sioning the call due to trivial cause
without any Indication of infectious
disease. This, however, SHOWS a com
mendable spirit and is an indication
that our live stock owners are more
than anxious to assist in the discovery
and suppression Of any infectious or
contagious animal disease.
During the year 101 head Of horses
suffering from CHAMBERS were destroy
ed, so of which were railroad contrac-
tors horses coming from other states,
so that actually only Al Montana
horses were destroyed for CHAMBERS
during the year. l believe I can safe
ly say that CHAMBERS among native
Montana horses is on the decrease. I
was recently informed by one of the
horse buyers for the English govern
ment, who has during the past year
purchased about IL, 900 Montana horses
that out of the entire number, all of
which were tested for CHAMBERS with
mallein, only three reacted, this max
ing one to 1000 of the horses purchas-
ed for the British army or .O04 per
cent. I beg to submit that this is an
extremely good showing and a fair
indication of the heathfulness of our
native horses.
There were but "a cattle tested
with %tuberculin during the year. only
one responding to the test. There
were, however, six well marked cases
destroyed during the year for tubercu-
losis. There were sent to this office
376 health certificates for breeding
cattle imported into Montana accom-
panied by tuberculin test charts. There
is practically such a small percentage
OF tuberculosis among cattle in Mon
tana that u state may be said to be
nearly free from this most dreaded
of all cattle diseases.
Vaccination against blackleg is be-
coming more and more popular every
year. During the past year 11,165
doses of vaccine were ordered from
the department of agriculture through
this office, these orders being only re-
quested through this office when the
vaccine is urgently needed. There has
been distributed by the department
OF agriculture during the past year
throughout the state of Montana over
100000 doses, in addition to which
much vaccine is still purchased in
small quantities by many of our small
cattle owners. I would advise the use
among better grades of cattle and
where the holdings are small, under
pasture conditions, the employment |
OF double vaccine which gives a much
higher degree of immunity and will
we'll compensate the owner for the
extra labor.
Arrangements have been perfected
with the department OF agriculture
by which a supply of the government
vaccine will be kept in m office for
to the cattle growers of
Montana. This will prove a great
saving in time to our cattle owners
desiring to secure vaccine quickly.
Therefore, from now on any orders
by telegraph or mail will be promptly
filed from this of;oov
Fire on American Ships.
Colon. Dec. 31-It is renortod 4ha+