The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-02-11
VACCINE FOR
BLACKLEG
\. &n. COLLEGE DOING 4 GREAT
WORK M COMBATING
DREAD DISEASE.
100000 DOSES DISTRIBUTED
In the Past Ter Years b. the stln.
water nstitstion-creat Lcsses
81 Not Using the Vaccine
soon Enough

The manufacture and distribution
/ of blackleg vaccine was undertaken
/ ~ the veterinary department OF the
Oklahoma A. and NJ. College at sun.
water in July. 1900 Since that time
more than 100000 doses have been
supplied 10 the farmers and stockmen
OF the State free Of any direct charge.
There is no doubt but what the bene.
Ats derived from the use Of the vac.
cine amount TO a great deal more
than the work has cost. Vaccination
q al young cattle has come to be
one Of the routine pieces OF work or
many farms and ranches. and the ex.
pefience OF these men Is that the use
of vaccine is the only means at hand
10 prevent losses from blaekleg. The
taoulated records from January. 1901.
10 January. 1873. 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
n many pastures Il is possible TO
eradicate nearly any disease due to
a specific injecting microorganism
but In order to accomplish this with
reference 10 blackleg all Young cattle
10 any given locality viii have to be
Yaceinated 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 il, as some
VIII be less careful than others IN the
administration Of the material. Every
care Is taken in the preparation and
handling OF the vaccine, and no re-
sponsibiiity is assumed bv the college
further than this.
The extent to which cattlemen will
use vaccine Is determined to a large
degree by the price Of cattle. Since
1900, when the work was started. this
has been found 10 be the case on
the other hand there is a seasonal
variation in the demand for vaccine
that corresponds to the time OF wear
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
Il is well known that blackleg be-
comes very common in the spring Is
soon as pastures are good and that
the trouble is again prevalent in the
lail 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, lie
greatest loss occurring between six
and eighteen months.
The actual loss from blackleg is
least in January and February and
from June to August. If stockmen
would take their precautionary meas.
ures during the winter and summer
then the losses in the spring and fan
would be avoided One cannot rely
upon any great degree of natural i'm
munity in young cattle against this
disease in Oklahoma. There are sec.
tions Of the United States where little
i any loss from blackleg is expert
anced, but the disease is present to
some extent in practically all portions !
)f the state where cattle are handled.
often losses are reported by cattle
men when they have young cattle on
nll feed. II is a generally accepted {
act that calves become more suscept-
bic to the disease when gaining rap. 7
dly. Many believe that losses are
ust as apt TO occur when a sudden
oss OF condition Is brought about by
hort pasture and lack OF feed, but
his condition is not fully borne out
" observations.
The immunity produced by vaccin.
tion will probably last until the indi-
idual reaches the age when il be-
ONES immune Protection secured
y vaccination does not Immediately
blow the administration of the vac {
inc From six 10 ten days is neces- Y
ary for the vaccine to have full effect.
osses from blackleg often continue
'r few days after vaccination. This HI
TO be expected where any infection :.
as present in the animal or where .
lfection took place within a short II
me after vaccination. ce