Mountain advocate., 1912-05-10
PreVentabIe by Use of
Anfi-ChOIerd Serum
GOOD NEWS FOR THE FARMER
State Makes Appropriation
Reducing Cost of InOCuIa-
ting Animals


facture and distribution of the anti.
hog cholera serum to control and
suppress outbreaks of hog cholera
a small laboratory was erected at
Lexington, on State grounds, under
the direction OF the Department of
Animal Husbandry of the Kentucky
Experiment Station. On February
%, 1911. actual operations begun,
and the Station officials themselves
have inoculated lac herds, includ.
ing 5,129 animals, of which 4,707
animals survived, showing a mort
atty Of S.4 per cent. The serum
alone method was used on SO herds,
including 1902 animals, of which
BIG died, or a mortality of 11.2 per
cent. SO herds were treated by The
serum method, including 1927 ami
mails, of which 40 died, or a NOR
tally Of Al per cent. The loss, at
first thought. may seem extremely
large, but it must be remembered
that a large percentage of the an.
imals were vaccinated with high
temPatures, upon the urgent request
OF the owners. To distinguish be.
tween serum alone and the serum
simultaneous methods, it will be
remembered that serum only is used
where the infection is already pres
ent, to protect the sound animals
that remain in the herd. The serum
simultaneous method is used where
the disease does not exist in the herd
There is injected into the opposite
thigh, in addition to the serum Civ
en- in the serum alone method, a
small amount Of virus. The result
of either of the two methods is a
lifelong immunity to the animal.
The value of the serum incubation
for the prevention of hog cholera
has passed beyond the experimental
stage, and the time is now at hand
when the State must take steps to
prevent the enormus losses to our
swine industry. To check and con-
troll hog cholera in Kentucky means
the saving of a large amount of
money, and the farmers are fast
realizing that they must have their
hogs immune to this disease. Last
year one county in the State of
Kentucky suffered loss OF $4,000
from this disease alone, and the loss
to the entire State is probably in
the millions.
The present Legislature which
has just adjourned, reimbursed the
Experiment Station, with small
appropriation, and portion of this
will be used TO increase the capacity
for serum production. Heretofore
serum has been quoted at the rate
OF two cents per cubic ceutimeter
or soc to vaccinate a 100 pound
hog, but this price has been lowered
to one cent per c c, or costing the
the farmer 40c to the l00.pounds.
This will be great inducement tor
, farmers to immunize their hogs
against this disease. COR heretofore
the price of the serum has caused
many 10 avoid it.
Second in Importance to the serum
treatment itself is the fact that pigs
from immune dams inherit a mark
ed degree of immunity This,
however, is not retained for life, but
it has been found that by treating
the sucking pigs from immune dams.
> or before they are three weeks old,
with very small amount of the
+ unmitigated virus, a permanent inn
muuity results, not interfering with
! the health of the animal. This
{ will be a great stimulus for swine
! breeders TO keep immune dams, as
r the cost OF immuizing the offspring
before it is three weeks old is prae.