Arizona republican., 1905-05-07
WAR ON SHEEP SCABIES
Officials and Flock Owners Deter mined to Eradicate the Disease.

All reports indicate that this has been a banner year for the sheep men of Arizona. There has been plenty of good feed and water which are neces- sary, but beside these the sheep men have received high prices for both wool and mutton. Flock owners have some troubles however for it is known that scabies is more or less prevalent among the sheep in all parts of the territory as it is in practically all the range states of the west.
 Because the greater portion of the sheep of the territory have been treat ed in some way each year this disease is not as prevalent here as in many states but under the methods in vogue, Of removing the sheep from forest re- serves and mountain grazing lands to the valleys each fall and back again each spring all are more or less affect ed by the smaller number of bands that are allowed to remain diseased.
 The United States department of agriculture has for several years per mitted only sheep that would stand in spection to be moved in interstate ship laents and as a further assistance that department has issued an order this spring which provides that all sheep
 
 of a government inspector and receive his certificate before permit will be given them to enter the forest reserves.
 As this order only affected sheep to II be grazed on the reserves conditions would be little improved another year if the sheep that are not grazed on the reserves are not treated. The Arizo- ma Wool Growers association whose membership includes over three fourths of the sheep men of the territory. and many others, have requested pr. J. C. Norton, territorial veterinarian to come to tseir assistance and endea.vor to have all sheep in the territory sys- tematically treated this year.
 Sheep are rot included in the pro- visions of the live stock laws under which the sanitary board acts but a | special sheep law has been on the statute hook for several years. Dr. Norton took the matter up with Dr. Salmon, chief of the bureau of animal industry, Washington, D. C., and other | bureau officials. and arrangements have II been made for the territorial veterin- | arlan to appoint bureau officials his | deputies to assist under the pro- + visions of the territorial sheep laws in securing a general dipping of all sheen in the territory.
 Tweleve such government men have been furnished and ap- | pointed as deputies who will see that all sheep offered are II properly dipped, and certificates of dipping will be issued. on April 25 a notice to all sheep men in the territory was issued stating that all sheep not II dipped under supervision of an inspec- | tor within reasonable time would be T quarantined and treated at owners eX- l. pense. Sheep men report all the way | from 5OO,0O0 to 100000 sheep in the F territory. On account of the weather T. the work win not commence in the | northern part of the territory until dip ping is finished in this vicinity. About 2O0,000 sheep have already been dip ped at Mesa City, Cave Creek and Cor des and the sheep men as a class seem to be anxious to make the work a sue | cess.
 | As the scabies mites are very detri- mental to the wool crop and the growth Of the sheep no one can estimate the financial cost. Much money has been spent in dipping each year in the past but now without additional expense the work will be done thoroughly and sys- | tematically under competent super vision.
 It is reported that the department Of | agriculture expects soon tc establish quarantine districts where scabies in lection exists, but it is thought this az