The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-07-16
THAT at least one-twentieth of al


the stock bred on the open range
of the west dies before it reaches
market age and that much of this loss
can be stopped is shown by results re-
ported from the national forests. This
waste is said to add millions of dollars
to the peoples meat bill and gives one
more cause of the high cost of living.
Winter storms and Summer droughts
strew the ranges with the bones of cat
tie and sheep; predatory animals take a
heavy toll; poisonous plants sometimes
kill half the animals in herd almost
over night. Cattle contract anthrax,
blaekleg and other diseases, get stuck in
bog holes, slip off icy hillsides; and sheep
pile up and die Of suffocation. Insects
which madden and kill swell the total
losses as do a multitude of other minor
causes of death and injury.
How Disease is Prevented.
If any Of the animals to be grazed
upon national forest seem to be suf-
fering from disease, the stock is sub
jected to rigid inspection by the fed
eral bureau of animal industry before it
is allowed to enter the forest. II an
animal grazing on the forest develops
suspicious symptoms the permittee is
requested to remove it. The carcasses
of animals dying from infectious or
communicable diseases must be buried
or burned, preferably the latter. To pro-
tect their stock against biackleg per-
mittees are encouraged to use vaccine,
furnished free by the department of ag-
riculture. Sheep suffering from scab or
from lip and leg disease are barred from
the forests until they have been treated
in conformity with the requirements Of
the bureau of animal industry. This co.
operation between the two bureaus has
made it possible to keep the forest
ranges remarkably free from all forms
Of stock disease.
Stock Killed by Wild Beasts.
The settlement and development of
The west does not appear to have greatly
reduced the number of animals which
prey upon domestic live stock, and the
loss from that source alone runs into
the millions Of dollars each year. With
in the forests, however, the number Of
domestic animals killed has been appre
ciably reduced by the campaign against
wild animals waged by the officers Of
the service During the past eight years
forest officers have killed over thirty
five thousand predatory animals, con
sisting of coyotes, wolves, bear, noun
tain lion, wild cats, lynx, etc.
Poisonous Plants.
The losses due to poisonous plants
have boen in the aggregate the most
numerous and the most difficult to guar(
against. Stockmen knew generally thai
certain flats OF valleys or hillside slopes
could mot be used for grazing without
heavy losses of stock, but there wa'
much doubt as to what caused the loss
Gradually it was determined that th'
losses were due to various species Of
plants. Later, it was learned that il
most instances these plants, while ex
tremely poisonous during certain periods
of the year, were comparatively innox
ious during the remainder of the graz
ing season. The forest officers deter
mined the various plant species whicl
cause death or injury of live stock, th'
periods during which each species i
dangerous, and the areas of forest lan'
upon which the plants are sufficient.
abundant to cause losses of stock. TIL
next step was to devise ways and mean
of preventing the losses. Where def
mite information is obtainable the QUITE
limits of the poison areas are marke'
by warning placards which give tn
name of the poisonous plant, the kind o
stock to which it is injurious, and tn
period during which it ia most harmful
With this warning, stockmen are en-
abled to so handle their stock as to pre-
vent the occupancy Of the poison are
during its danger period. In cases wher
the areas of poisonous plants are con
paratively small the permittees hav
been encouraged to fence them, maters
for fence construction being furnishe
free of charge by the forest service