Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-23
DISEASE! Dis GROWING |! C
tuberculosis in Hogs Increases
at Alarming Rate in the
United States.
NEAR EUROPEAN FIGURES
Milk from tuberculosis Cows and
Feeding Packing House Offal
Among the Causes.

The following from the bureau of
animal industry, United States de-
partment of agriculture on tubercu-
losis in hogs will be of interest not
only to every stock raiser but to ev-
cry consumer of pork:
Reports gathered from the various
meat-packing centers of this country
the increase and causing heavier loss
to raiser and packer alike than any
other disease.
Statistics show that year ago
there were over 56,000,000 hogs in
this country and their value at that
time was over $3.50, 100000. FEEDER
al inspection at the abattOirs of the
slaughtered to be affected with tub
erculosis. Reports from Europe show
a far more widespread infection that
runs as high as 5.5 to rs per cent.
The small amount of money re-,
quired to start in the hog raising
business and the quick returns on
the amount invested make it an at
will make greater gains on less feed
than almost any other live stock and
at the same time utilize profitably
waste food products of every variety
if properly prepared. AS tubercu-
losis of hogs is chiefly contracted
through feeding, the significance of
the latter feature is obvious.
Southern Hogs Healthy.
Hogs from Arkansas, Oklahoma,
and Texas are remarkably free from
tuberculosis, due to the methods of
caring for them, or rather the lack
of care. They are not restricted to
feed lots, where disease is commonly
found, but roam over large areas to
shift for themselves. No prolonged
feeding is practiced in narrow limits,
but from birth to maturity they are
pastured on alfalfa, oats, corn, rape
and peanuts. Hogs raised in the
forest regions of Hungary are like-t
wise rarely affected with tubercu-
losis. In striking contrast are the
hogs slaughtered at three cities in
one of the leading dairy states where
there are a large number of cooper
ative creameries and the raw skim
med milk is fed. Samples from two
of these creameries were injected in
60. guinea pigs and in one instance
virulent tubercle bacilli were recov-
cred.
Buyers for packing houses are
learning from bitter experience to |
avoid sections -of certain states; and /
two firms will not buy hogs from one |
state known to be badly infected. |
In fact, many of the smaller pack |
ers in the central west buy subject |
to pOst-mortem inspection as a meas |
ure of self-protection.
:: An investigation carried on by the |
bureau of animal industry in a GER
tain section of the middle west con-
sisted of tagging hogs hauled to mar
ket in wagons. OF 33,42O animals !
tagged it was learned that all of the |
infected stock came from less than 6 /
per cent of the farms.
Five Causes Given.
1t is known beyond doubt that the j
of tuberculosis hogs are
produced by the following causes:
1. Feeding raw milk and slime /
from creameries.
2. Feeding hand-separated milk
from tuberculosis cows
i B. Feeding behind tuberculosisi
cattle.
f a. Feeding tuberculosis carcasses.
:. 5. Feeding slaughterhouse offal.
:, The danger of feeding hogs behind
cattle lies in the fact
that such cattle discharge enormous
of tuberculosis germs in
their feces.
:. Sooner or later the packer will buy
subject to post-mortem examination,
as some are now doing with certain
classes of female cattle Then the
hog raiser who persists in fattening
with tuberculosis material will be,
made to feel the cost of his indiffer-
ence or lack of knowledge. Today
the buyer makes his purchases with
The knowledge that proportion of
his animals will be condemned and i,
the price fixed accordingly, with the
result that the careful breeder suf-
fers with the careless one. This is
not equitable. But when the packer
buys subject to post-mortem results
-he painstaking and intelligent rails
sr will receive more than he does
now and the ignorant or Indifferent
breeder will get less, which is more
nearly fair deal for all concerned. /,