Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-06-11
To Prevent Hog Cholera.
BY J. V. SHIPMAN.

To some people II seems strange that
hog cholera should break out at this sea-
son of the year. In fact, il is early this
year, but this much dreaded disease has
been reported in several counties OF this
State and Virginia during the past few
weeks. SO tar no heavy losses have
been reported, but as the season pro-
crosses greater care must be exercised.
In the care of swine the prevention OF dis
ease is OF the utmost importance. Hogs
are indeed subject TO comparatively few
ailments; but these few are generally OF
the most serious kind. When swine are
sick they are usually too sick to eat, thus
there is much difficulty in administering
the medicihe.
In case there is suspicious disease
among hogs in nelghborhood, the fact
should be reported promptly to health Of
ficers and this first outbreak quarantlned.
We must not forget that hog cholera is
an infectious disease and that the prime
organ is a living germ. Many farmers
make the mistake OF visiting their neigh
bors' hog pens, and walk about among
the sick hogs out OF mere curiosity. The
germs of this disease may be carried from
a place in any way that fine particles OF
dust may be carried, as upon shoes or by
wagon. Dogs frequently carry this dis
ease. BuzZards, because OF their habits
OF feeding in hog lots and on dead ami
mails, spread the disease. Pigeons, small
animals, and people travelling from one
farm to another may carry the disease 10
several neighbors. The buzzard should
be frightened away from the feed lots and
pastures where hogs are grazing. Bow
el discharges are very important sources
of injection and il the yards or pens
drain into streams or shallow ponds (ot
which there are far too many In this sec
tom, these become carriers and harbor-
ing places OF the injection.
Hog cholera is the most deadly and
widespread disease OF hogs in the State,
and for this reason all possible precau-
tions should be taken TO prevent its
spread. Proper houses, yards, feeding
and care must be provided to keep the
herd in healthy, growing condition.
Healthy hogs naturally resist almost all
diseases and have slight resistance
against hog cholera, but filthy, crowded
pens and yards with lack OF exercise and
poor feeding overcome this resistance
and secondary cause OF the spread OF
the disease.
There are two things necessary to keep
hog cholera out OF the herd The first
is to keep away from the hogs the germ
that causes the disease the second is TO
increase the resistance Of the hog 10 the
organism, so that il il does happen 10
come in contact with the germs il will
resist the disease. Toprovide the neces-
sary precautions, care must be given 10
the foods, yards, drinking water, trough
and floors. Yards that are not well
drained and become muddy are not fit
for use after the first year, because the
soil becomes so full OF organic matter
that il becomes filthy, ill-smelling and
unhealthy. Each year new yards should
be provided and the old ones plowed up |
and sowed with some forage crop.
The walow hole is one OF the most |
essential features OF hog lot during the
summer months, and il is always the
most filthy part Of the yard. The wallow
should be anificially made Of plank or
cement and kept well filled with clean
water containing disinfectant Of creo-
lin, one ounce TO one gallon Of water.
This should be cleaned outside of the yard
and reiilled about every ten days.
Streams draining from lots higher up
should not be allowed to run through the
yards. Feed troughs and floors should
be kept from stale food, corncobs and
wet litter.
There is no place on the farm where
disinfectants are as necessary as in the
hog houses and yards. Carbolic acid.
one tablespoonful TO two gallons OF water,
or creolin two tablespooHfuls TO one gal
lon Of water make excellent disinfectants.
Whitewash containing sulphur and creo-
lin in any proportion desirable, used on
the inside OF the pens makes one OF the
best disinfectanis.
Hogs newly bought or coming from
other herds should be kept entirely sep
arate from the home herd Tor at least
three weeks.
The question is often asked by farmers,
Chow long before new hogs can be safely
put into pens that have been infected 2"
New hogs should not be put on the same
tarm for al least three months and not in
the old pens for one year. New pens
and yards should be provided at least one
hundred yards from the old pens. The
old yards should be lined, pIowed and
planted and the old pens should be burn
ed or whitewashed and disinfected as
described above. Each hog should be
thoroughly sprinkled. using garden
watering-pot of disinfectant, composed
Of two tabIespoonfuls Of creoIin to one
gallon Of water. The second essential
in keeping hogs free IRON cholera is vac
cination with cholera serum before they
become exposed TO the disease. ] have
found the following to be very good
formula as conditioner for hogs. Take
an old barrel and use the following:
IA bushel air-slacked lime.
20 pounds flour sulphur.
10 pounds salt.
- r,oundc Enxorn e1ffs