Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-10-13
KILLING CATTLE TICK
Host Of Insect Is Animals Of b.
vine Species.
Where Large Number Of Cattle Are
Maintained Spraying IL Best Meth
do Of Destroying Injurious
Little Parasite.
10y A. NJ soULE. Georgia Agricultural

(By A. NJ. soULE. Georgia Agricultural
College.)
II is unnecessary to detail to the |
thoughtful farmer the material advan-
tages which the south offers for live
stock production In the matter Of a
desirable climate, an abundance OF
suitable feed, and well watered
country. The average man from the
north and west on bis initial visit to
The south is astonished to find so many
advantages for the industry evidenced
on every hand and to witness so lit
tie progress In its development. The
cause is not far to seek Large num-
bers Of the choicest animals brought
into the United States In early times
came directly to the south. but they all
suffered rapid and almost complete
determination. Finally It was definite
Iy determined that the trouble was
due to the infestation Of the animals
By what IL now known as cattle tick.
Nearly all of the states are fighting
the tick. and Georgia has already
cleaned up some Of her infested ccun-
ties. and II IL believed others will be
released from quarantine In the next
few years.
What the destruction of the tick
means to the live stock industry few
can picture. It Is costing our state
In the neighborhood of $5.0o0.000 an
nually. We cannot build up cattle
business until the tick Is completely
vanquished The tick is the real cause
OF bloody murain. Texas fever and red
water, names locally given to the
trouble resulting from infestation of
cattle by this parasite. The investiga-
tons made relative to the relation OF
the tick to the destruction of cattle
have been so thorough. complete and
exhaustive as to leave no ground for
further doubt.
When the tick attacks cattle germs
enter the blood and increase in num-
Der until they destroy the greater
part of the red corpuscles. This low
ers the vitality and restricts the
growth OF the animal. and In the case
lof milk cows. the flow of milk Is ma
terially reduced. Mix represents the
surplus energy and vitality Of the
COW, and any agency which reduces
these lessons the ability to give
milk. The loss to the dairy industr,
on this account is very great, and 'hai
done more to hold II in check than any
thing else. When ticks attack fat
tening animals. they lengthen the TIM
required for development and for ma
turity. and hence increase the cost o
production. The cattle tick prevent
effectually the bringing In Of good pure
bred animals for the Improvement o
Iour native stock, for an animal whicl
is brought into section where tick
fre found. and has not had the fevel
will suffer an attack. and the chance
are II will die. At least this has bee
the history of importations up to tn
present time. Our native animals ar
,, Of a low grade. giving but a compa
atively small yield Of milk. maturin
slowly. and not producing the quantit
and quality Of meat desirable In an
: mails OF the beef-type These cha
acters can only be changed throug
the use of .pure-bred sires. and the
cannot be freely imported until tn
tick is destroyed At present tim
animals from the tick country are pt
IN quarantine pens. where they con
mand lower prices than animals frol
the north. because Of their poor qua
ity. This often amounts to as niue
as three dollars a head. or anywher
from $50 to $50 car
The host of the tick Is the COW {
other animals of the bovine specie
and II the tick can be kept from &c
I ting On their hosts. they will starve
death This being true. methods I
! eradication have been devised whic
have proved very effective when p'
into practical operation.
One may pick the ticks from II
: animals before they have obtaine
their growth. This prevents a ne
crop from developing. This methe
: is only practicable where there al
: few animals on the farm. Anoth'
: method where limited number Of ca
tie are treated is to sponge or brus
{ them with crude petroleum. cottonses
= oil. or equal parts Of kerosene al