Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-10
COST OF THE CATTLE TICK.
II Means a Loss of Over $4,000, 900 a
Year to the South,

agriculture gives some interesting IN
formation as to how much the people
of the south lose directly and indi-
rectly each year, because Of disease
breeding cattle ticks:
THE economic aspect of the tick
problem is unQuestionably Of the
greatest practical interest, since the
importance of all the
other questions which surround it de-
pends upon the actual money value
involved. 1t would therefore seem ad-
visable to furnish a few statistics
showing the financial loss sustained
by the country as a result OF the
presence of this parasite. 1t is we'll
known that those animals coming from
an infected district and sold in the
southern pens of northern stock
yards, bring an average of one-fourth
to one half a cent less per pound than
the quoted market price. The handi-
cap that is placed on the southern cat
tie raiser as a result Of this decrease
in value of his stock will average at
the former figure at least $3.50 per
head, allowing an individual weight
of 600 pounds for all classes of ami
mails, so that the loss on the estimated
7O5,000 southern cattle, including
stock, beef, and dairy animals market
ed yearly under these conditions, Will
sum up a loss of $1,057,500 per an
mum. Carrying this estimate still fur
ther it will be found that this de-
creased value reacts and fixes the val
uation of all cattle which remain in the
infected territory, thereby reducing
the assets of the cattle industry OF
that section by this ratio per head for
the four and a half millions Of cattle
east of the Mississippi river and the
eleven millions of cattle west of the
Mississippi river, or, altogether, the
enormous shrinkage in value Of $685.
$500 directly chargeable to the cat
tie tick. This sum, however, should
not be considered in determining the
yearly devastation caused by the cat
tie tick, but rather as an unnecessary
reduction in the assets of the infected
country. This last loss does not In
clude the decrease in flesh and lack
of development of southern cattle oc-
casioned by the parasitic life Of the
ticks from without and by the blood
destroying and enervating properties
of the protozoan parasites from with
in, an additional loss which is so very
great that a conservative estimate
would place it equal to the loss men
toned, or s23,250,000.
THE shrinkage in the milk produc-
tion of cattle harboring many ticks
will average l quart per day, and the
loss occasioned thereby at 3 cents per
quart for the $4,000 ticky dairy cat
tie out of more than 100000 dairy
cattle below the quarantine line would
ing three hundred milking days for
each cow to the year, $7,S75,OOO per
annum The damage resulting to the
southern purchaser of northern pure
bred or high-grade cattle is another
item of no small moment. About 10
per cent of all such cattle taken south
die of Texas fever even after they are
immunized by blood inoculations, and
about 60 per cent of these cattle sue
cumb to Texas fever when not so
treated Since they are usually very
expensive animals and Of a highly
valued strain of blood, the loss in GER
tain cases is excessive and in others
almost irreparable, owing to the pos
sible extinction Of some particular type
especially selected for the improve
ment Of the herd. Thus Of the ap-
proximate 4,600 of such cattle brought
south each year at least 460 die OF
Texas fever The loss entailed would
naturally depend on the value of each
animal, and, since the prices paid for
such well-bred cattle range from 500
to $1,000, or even more, it can readily
be conceived that the yearly loss from
this item alone varies from $4,000
upward.
Another instance where it is diff
cult to figure the injury done by the
ticks in the case of death Of nonim-
mune cattle in the tick-free pastures
of the south. Such animals are as sus-
ceptible to Texas fever as nonimmune
northern cattle, and, inasmuch as
there are in many states only one out
of every four farms infested with ticks,
the cattle on the remaining farms will
in many cases contract Texas fever
when exposed to the fever tick. These
losses can scarcely be computed, as
the death rate depends so much on the
season Of the year when exposure oc-
ours and on the age of the animal ar
fected However, the deaths among
such cattle are considerable, although
this fact is little appreciated or under
stood by many outside of the infected
area.
1.-The loss thus occasioned has been
estimated at $5,S12,500 per annum.
And this sum, excessive as it may
seem, represents a smaller percentage
of loss on the total valuation Of neat
cattle than has been determined by
several of the infected states.
ION rare occasions a small outbreak
of Texas fever occurs north Of the
quarantine line as a result of impro-
perly disinfected cars, Of unscrupulous
dealers breaking the quarantine regu-
lations, or of some accidental condi-
ton. Such damage, however, is slight,
but should be given consideration in
summing up the loss occasioned by the
fever tick.
THE advertisement which breeder
obtains and the sales which are made
by having his stock in the show ring
are usually lost to the southern cattle
raiser who aspires to display his an
imals in the north, as they are barred
from most of these exhibitions. On
the other hand, the southern farmer
is not given an opportunity to see and
be stimulated by the fine specimens
of northern cattle which might be
shown at southern stock exhibits, for
the reason that the danger Of con-
tracing Texas fever Is too patent to
warrant such exposure. The expense