Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-08
One Disease Among Cattle and
Hogs Loses $2,OOO,OOO Annu-
ally to Farmers OF State
PACKING HOUSES REPORT
Statistics Compiled by Agricultural
Department Show That While Per-
centage is Low, Total Loss is Enor-
NOUS - Plans for Segregation Of
Diseased Animals.
:neeial TO rimes-Republican.

| Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines, Feb. S.-One and one
| half per cent of the hogs and one ana
one third per cent of the cattle kllieu
! in Iowa packing houses have tuper-
culosis and the annual loss to the
state is nearly s2,00O,OO0
These figures are obtained from the
results of the investigation being maze
| by Secretary John c. Simpson of the
/ state board of agriculture. On instruc-
tions from the board at it's annual
meeting last December Mr. Simpson
asked each of the thirteen packing
/ houses in the state to report monthly
the animals killed that later showed
| evidences of tuberculosis and were un-
| fit for food. The first monthly reports
are now in and the summary shows the
| figures given above.
Furthermore the veterinarians of the
the number Of animals they had sub
jected to the tuberculin test and the
number that were thus proven to have
tuberculosis. More than 200 made re-
ports and these showed that 20 per
cent of the hogs examined and lS per
cent of the cattle examined had tu-
berculosis.
| While the per cent is low the total
| is an enormous loss to the state. Inc
investigation will be continued thruout
the entire year and at the close of the
year Mr.. Simpson believes he will have
| a fairly accurate estimate of the ex-
| tent Of the prevalence Of tuberculosis
among The cattle and hogs of iowa
| There are according to assessors and
census reports about six million hogs
in the state and it is estimated that
at least five million of these are sold
each year for slaughter. The value of
$50 pound hog is about $11.25 and
with one and a half per cent of the
hogs condemned each year as unfit for
food because of tuberculosis it is cas-
! lily figured that the loss to the farmers
| is about $S50000 year. The loss falls
on the farmer for the packer must in
buying the hogs fix a price that will
take into account this loss
| On the cattle an estimate must be
more of a guess but it is believed that
the loss is at least s1,25O.OO0. 1t is be-
| lieyed that there are fully two million
cattle sold for slaughter in Iowa year.
ly and one and a third per cent are,
according to the first months reports,
found unfit for food.
The efforts Of the state board OF
agriculture will be to educate the
farmers of the state to have their stock
tested. Where stock is found to be
affected by tuberculosis it can then be
sold subject to post mortem exam
ination. The authorities all agree that
cattle and hogs some times have tu-
berculoss without making them unfit
for food. For instance, it is found to
be frequently the case that an animal
has tuberculosis of the lungs The tu-
berculosis germs are confined in the
lungs entirely and microscopic eX-
animation of the quarters of the ami
NAL after it is killed show that they
are not affected at all. The animal is
therefore just as good for food as tho
it never had tuberculosis.
But it is held that a COW or hog hav-
ing tuberculosis in the slightest degree
should not be kept in a herd for the
reason that it will grow worse rather
| than better and will give the disease to
other animals of the herd by coming
in contact with them just as it is
! transmitted from one person to an
other. Some of the farmers plead that
if the animal is killed they lose it.
AS matter of fact the animal kept
alive is worse than lost because it
will transmit it to the entire herd.
Extensive Investigations were made
recently at the State Agricultural col
lege which proved that tuberculosis is
transmitted thru milk. A number of
hogs We're subjected to the test and
found to be free from tuberculosis.
They were then fed on milk from a
COW that was known to have tubercu-
losis and it was thus transmitted to
the hogs. A farmer with a tubercular
cow in his herd runs the risk of his
family catching it and furthermore
! runs the risk Of the disease being
transmitted to the other animals of
the herd
Information from Clinton is that the
big Allison meeting set to be held in
that city Wednesday night Of this week
and at which Congressman Joe r.
! Lane of Davenport was to speak and
lend his assistance towards the form
ing of the Allison club was not held.
! 1t was postponed to an indefinite date.
When the first mass meeting to or
ganize the club was called there were
thirteen present. This is on the evil
dence Of letters received from Clinton
people and on the evidence of two
newspapers in Clinton. Later another
meeting was held and but few more
were present and the completion OF
the organization of the club was post
poned till Wednesday night of this
week when Mr.. Lane was to be pres
ent and speak and help to perfect the