The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-02-13
VACCINE FOR
BLACKLEG
A. & M. COLLEGE DOING A GREAT
WORK IN COMBATING
DREAD DISEASE.
100000 DOSES DISTRIBUTED
In the Past Ten Years by the Still.
water Instltutlon-Great Losses
BY Not Using the Vaccine
Soon Enough.

The manufacture and distribution
of blackleg vaccine was undertaken
by the veterinary department of the
Oklahoma A. and M. College at Still
water in July, 1900. Since that time
more than 100000 doses have been
supplied to the farmers and stockmen
OF the state free Of any direct charge.
There is no doubt but what the bene-
hts derived from the use Of the vac
cine amount to a great deal more
than the work has cost. Vaccination
OF all young cattle has come to be
one Of the routine pieces OF work on
many farms and ranches, and the ex-
perience Of these men is that the use
OF vaccine is the only means at hand
to prevent losses from blackleg. The
tabulated records from January, 1901,
to January, 1913, cover sufficient time
to indicate the general value OF the
use of vaccine.
No systematic effort has been made
to eradicate the disease. Ordinarily
vaccine is not used by the stockmen
until some loss is met with, and this
practice will always provide infection
In many pastures. 1t is possible to
eradicate nearly any disease due to
specific injecting microorganism,
but in order to accomplish this with
reference to blackleg all young cattle
In any given locality will have to be
Vaccinated regularly. Work conduct
ed along these lines would eventually
eliminate the disease.
No remedy will prove without faults
and this is especially true of such
remedies as are distributed freely to
every one who asks for it, as some
Gill be less careful than others in the
administration of the material. Every
are is taken in the preparation and
lndling OF the vaccine, and no re-
Monsibility is assumed by the college
S&ther than this.
sShe extent to which cattlemen will
~ vaccine is determined to a large
* ee by the price of cattle. Since
NV, when the work was started, this
has been found to be the case. On
the other hand, there is a seasonal
variation in the demand for vaccine
that corresponds to the time OF year
when the disease is most prevalent.
The greatest demand for vaccine is
in the spring and fall. reaching the
highest points In April and October.
1t is well known that blackleg be.
comes very common in the spring as
soon as pastures are good and that
the trouble Is again prevalent in the
fall when pastures are revived by the
fall rains. The unusual rainfall during
the past season has contributed most
to the prevalence Of blackleg. At no
time since the work was begun has
the disease been so prevalent or the
demand for vaccine so great during
October, November and December.
Fat, thrifty young cattle are most sus-
ceptible to this trouble. No great loss
occurs among calves under four
months or over two years of age, the
greatest loss occurring between six
and eighteen months.
The actual loss from blackleg is
least in January and February and
from June to August. II stockmen
would take their precautionary meas.
ures during the winter and summer
then the losses in the spring and fall
would hn aunfdad
upon any great degree of natural i'm
munity in young cattle against this
disease in Oklahoma. There are sec.
tons of the United States where little
II any loss from blackleg is expert.
enced, but the disease is present to
some extent in practically all portions
OF the state where cattle are handled.
Often losses are reported by cattle.
men when they have young cattle on
full feed. 1t is generally accepted
fact that calves become more suscept-
ible to the disease when gaining rap.
idly, Many believe that losses are
just as apt to occur when a sudden
loss of condition Is brought about by
short pasture and lack Of feed, but
this condition is not fully borne out
by observations.
The immunity produced by vaccin.
alton will probably last until the indi.
vidual reaches the age when 1t be.
comes immune. Protection secured
by vaccination does not Immediately
follow the administration of the vac.
cine. From six to ten days is neces.
sary for the vaccine to have full effect
Losses from blackleg often continue
for few days after vaccination. This
is to be expected where any infection
was present in the animal or where
infection took place within a short
time after vaccination.
Give Chickens Sour MIX
Sour milk is utilized in one Of the