The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-12-16
THOSE wARsLEs. or eRUss.
Something About the Pest Ehat Is Iniur-
ing sherman County Cattle.

Something About the Pest That Il Injur-
ing Sherman County Cattle.
By n. s. Mayo. OF Kansas Agricultural C0Ilszs.
Recent observations made and re-
ports received by this department indi-
cate that MARBLES, or grubs, IN cattle are
unusually prevalent. In some instances
they are reported to have caused the
death OF young cattle.
Marbles or grubs, are the larval
form Of the OK bOt-6y, or heel-fly INV
POderma hneata.) The grubs or war
bles are noticed as little Jumps OF
punches Just beneath the skin of the
back Directly over each MARBLE there
IS small pore or opening IN the skin,
through which the grub breathes.
Life HistOry.-The adult heel-fiy or
warble-hy IS a little larger than the
common hOuse-hy. In the latter part
Of the summer she deposits her eggs
upon the hair Of cattle in the region of
the heels. The presence of the flies
among cattle causes much annoyance.
The animal licks the part and the Larvae
are taken into the mouth. From the
throat or gullet the small Larvae bore
their way through the tissues until they
locate beneath the skin Of the back,
where they increase in size quite rapid
ly, so that the Jumps are large enough
Z
December or early January. In Febru-
ary or March these Larvae or grubs work
their way through the small hole in the
skin fall TO the ground, burrow IN the
dirt or litter, pupate, and some weeks
later transform into adult flies.
In 1895 II was estimated that so per
cent Of the cattle IN Kansas were affect
ed with MARBLES, and the financial loss
by damaged hides was estimated for
the United States at from fifty to sixty
million dollars. Grubby hides are
usually 'dOCked'' about one-third.
Marbles are more prevalent in the
western part Of the state and attack
young animals more severely than
older cattle.
As the adult flies do not travel far,
a cattle-Owner can free his herd pretty
well from these pests by treating them
at this season Of the year. IF other cat
tie IN the immediate neighborhoOd are
affected, the adult flies wall travel tar
enough TO infect the neighboring herd.
All cattle-ownerS should unite to de-
strOy this pest.
Treatment. Treatment should be-
gin as soon as the MARBLES are noticed
upon the animals backs. Most of the
the MARBLES or grubS can be destroyed
! by putting turpentine, kerosene, crude
| petroleum or mercurial ointment IN or
on the opening through the skin direct
| ly over the MARBLES. IL the opening is
very small It SHOULD be enlarged by
using a smooth, pointed. stick. A ma
chinist's Oil-can with a slender nozzle
furnishes an excellent method of apply
/ ing the medicine. BY running the cat
| tie through a chute they can be treated
/ quite rapidly. They should be examin-
ed IN about ten days, and any that es-
cape the first treatment should be de-
! strOyed by second; or better, squeezed
out and crushed; OF they can be squeez-
ed and crushed benath the skin by
| pincnghi the lump, or killed by insert
/ ing a pointed wire or large, blunt-point-
ed needle. 1t is important that any
/ gruhs squeezed out or escaping natur-
\ ally should be destroyed or they vii
tranform into adult flies.