Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-06-29
SCAB IN MON
TANA CATTLE
Federal officer Says All Montana Cat
tie Must be Dipped for TWO
Consecutive Years.
GROWERS RESIST THE ORDER
Similar to Sheep Scab, Causing Cat
tie TO Lose Hair and Flesh n
Weakens Them for Months.

80 49,
department of agriculture requiring
hat all cattle shipped out of Mon
tana be dipped before leaving the
state.
The reason for the order given by
the department was that in many sec
tons of Montana cattle are affected
with scab, says the Helena I%ndepend-
ent. The protest vas made at a
a meeting which was held in the Of
fee of Secretary W. G. Preuitt, of
the Montana Stock Growers associa-
ton, which was attended by leading
cattlemen from all parts of Montana.
In addition to the cattlemen there
was present at the meeting Doctor
George S. Hickox. who has charge OF
the work of the bureau of animal in.
in the northwest, and Doctor
NJ. E. Knowles, state veterinarian.
There was a full discussion of the
subject, the cattlemen voicing the
opinion that If the order was not re-
scinded il would mean large losses to
the cattlemen.
Doctor Hickox told why the order
had been made. He said he did not
desire to inflict any hardship on the
cattlemen, but he had tried TO have
the request to dip obeyed without 60
ing TO the extent of having the order
made. He intimated that he would
not oppose the suspension of the or
der this year If the secretary saw fit
to suspend it, provided the cattlemen
would agree to have their cattle dip
ped next year.
John T. Murphy presided at the
meeting and a committee was named
to draw up a protest against the or
der. So that the protest might have
full weight a committee consisting of
Conrad Kohrs, J. NJ. Holt and l.. S.
Stacy, of Miles City, was appointed
to go to Washington and present the
protest and request for the resembling
of the order to the secretary. In ad-
dition to the gentleman named, Rep.
resentative J. NJ. Dixon and former
Senator T. II. Carter were made men,
haru NJ tho p~nmmittnn
Why the Order Was Made.
Doctor Hickox was asked last ev.
ening why the order requiring the
dipping was made, and he told how
prevalent cattle scab was in the
northwest. The order" said Doc
tor Hickox, applies to every state
in which the scab exists TO such an
extent as to say the state is afflicted
with it.. OF course in a state where
there are isolated cases it cannot be
said that the disease is general. But
in Montana there are but four coun-
ties in which II Is not prevalent. For
purposes of investigation wi men
made an examination on the ranges
last winter, and we know in what
brands the disease is prevalent. The
order has stirred up the cattlemen,
but they had warning. Last spring
| told them of conditions, and my un.
d~erstanding was that they would take
measures to eradicate the disease,
but | found they took the warning
coolly, and the order was the result.
\ hann M IApfrn 20 inAfnt anx Loo,
or hardship on the cattlemen, and as
they have promised to attend to the
dipping next season. | hope they will
succeed in having the order rescind.
ed this year. | certainly will not do
anything to prevent the success of
their mission.
Scab in General.
Cattle scab is scattered generally
over my territory. A part of Wyom'
ing is bad, so is a part of South Da'
kota. In North Dakota the cattlemen
took hold of the matter as | request
ed. and the result is that by August
over SOC, 900 head of cattle will have
been dipped twice. The trouble in
Montana is that there is no state Law
requiring the dipping, and the ma
tional government has had to take
the matter in hand. If the cattlemer
will live up TO their promise, the seal
can be cleaned out OF Montana in two
years. am sure one year will moi
do it. Ranges are affected. so are
corrals. and it will take two year:
to clean them"
is the disease like sheep scab?'
Doctor Hickox was asked.
THE parasite in sheep scab and il
cattle scab Is of the same species
and il takes an expert to tell then
apart. But the sheep parasites d.
not attack the cattle. o do the cat
tie parasites the sheep. The cattle
itch and worry themselves by rub
bling against fences or anything the.
can find. They become reduced il
flesh and while the parasite does no
kill them 1t keeps them so poor IL
flesh that they cannot stand a harI
winter. To dip them would be none.
in the cattlemen's pocket. Dip then
in the spring, they will shed thei
''tlA llttlg, anu are III tOhullioH U
put on and retain flesh, so that ii i
equal to a months full feeding"
How do you account for the prev
alence Of cattle scab in the state?
the doctor was asked.
Imported Bulls the Source.
My Investigations have convince
me-" said the doctor, that the infeC
ton is due to the use or imported an
well bred bulls. | have found tina
before bulls were imported into tn
state from the east for the purpos
of improving the herds that there wa
no cattle scab, OF mango. as som
call it, and IL has also been demon
strated as a result of our inquire
that in every case where it has bee
noticed in n herd the owner. askp