The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-01-12
hog cHoLERA..-No.l.
BY D.. N. n. Reynolds, Mime
sofa University Farm.

sofa University Farm.
L e z + + + + + + i. + + /. /. !. 4 +
Hog-choIera can be recognized by
any Intelligent farmer. Hog-cholera
can 10 spread In . great many ways
witch are easily understood Hog
saeiera eaa be produced at will. Hog.
sholera can be prevented, and. In re-
seat cases, It can even be treated with
soasonable prospect Of cure. Every
hruer who owns hogs should know
sAese things. .....
Article No. : will deal with symp.
toms shown by sick hogs, and with in
.eormation to be gained from the dead
carcass.
Il IL our purpose to write series of
short practical articles-lessons they
might be called-the series to cover
al needed practical information. Read
ers who will follow this series intelli-
gently should become we'll informed
on the general subject of hog-cholera
This disease costs Minnesota, every
year. from few thousands to over a
million dollars. In some years we have
little cholera, and in some years it
prevails extensively, in virulent form,
The farmer who has a large invest,
ment in hogs is always in danger OF
serious losses from this cause, unless
he Is intelligently informed concerning
the disease; and in the latter case he
need have no losses at all.
The term "hog-cholera" has become
somewhat indefinite in recent years;
but 1t should be limited to the disease
whlch answers to the following de-
s6ription: ~ 1t must be contagious
~ natural exposure (2) The animal
bolore death, and the carcass, after
death. must show the general bowel,
skin. eye and other symptoms which
have hitherto been accepted az symp.
toms Of hog-cholera (3) The blood
must be infectious, and capable of re-
Droducing the same disease by inocula-
non under the skin Of susceptible
hogs 90 Attack and recovery must
convey permanent immunity.
The disease which answers to these
requirements Is what will be referred
20 In these articles as true uog-cuolera.
T. r Cause.
A great many intelligent people be-
lieve that hog-cholera is caused by
error in feeding, particularly by too
much corn but it is easy to prove
that they are wrong. In the past, SCI
entific men have believed that hog
cholera was due to a pencil-shaped
germ, so small that millions of them
could be contained very comfortably
In Q single drop Of blood. Within q
few years, however. It has been shown
that this pencil-shaped germ is prob.
ably not the specific cause of e ,era.
but only an Incidental factor: and that
the real cause is living germ very
many times smaller still-so small
hat 1t 10 invisible to the highest pow.
ors Of the microscope This new
germ IL 30 small that It passes like
water through laboratory germ.nlters,
vAich were previously supposed to
III out all germs.
PredisposiAg causes are not to- be
ignored; for It 10 very clear that some
A1gs are very much more susceptible
han others. and that the susceptible.
NJ depends somewhat upon feed and
care. Hogs closely confined, fed large
y % corn. for example. and receiving
01tle exercise. are more susceptible
than hogs raised under normal condi.
uons. which give more hardness. It
= we'll understood among hog.cholera
experts that fat hogs, especially show
hogs, are more susceptible to cholers
tan harder hogs in thinner flesh.
This must not give readers the i'm
Dression that hog-cholera can be pro.
lsced by any kind Of feeding or care.
n the absence Of infection.
Farmers would not expect mustard
. grow in their wheat-fields without
the previous presence Of mustard seed.
No more can hog-cholera appear in
herd without the previous planting OF
hog-cholera seed: /. e., the infection.
Outbreaks of cholera differ very
greatly in virulence In some virulent
outbreaks hogs die with little or no
warning: in other outbreaks the hogs
are sick for several weeks and may
then finally recover. This should not
had readers into the error. of think.
ing that either the virulent or mild
type may not be true cholera.
II the roosts in the henhouses are
high the heavier birds are almost sure
70 suffer from bruised feet, commonly
known as bumblefoot This Is caused
By jumping from the roost 10 the hard
floors.