El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-06-23
ANNUAL LOSS Of
STOCK ON OPEN
RANCE IS HEAVY
Forest Service Estimates
One-Twentieth Dies Before
ItReaches Market Age.

Washington. D. C.. June 2S.-That at
least one-twentieth Of all the stock
bred on the open range OF the west
dies before il reaches market age and
that much Of this loss can be stopped, is
shown by results reported from the ma
tional forests.
Winter storms and summer drouths
strew the ranges with the bones OF
cattle and sheep: predatory animals
take a heavy toll; poisonous plants
sometimes kill half the animals in a
herd almost over night Cattle contract
anthrax. blackleg and other diseases,
get stuck in bog holes. slip off icy hill
sides; and sheep pile MP and die Of sur
location Insects which madden ana
kill swell the total losses. as do a null
titude of other minor causes Of death
and injury.
How Disease Is Prevented.
II any OF the animals to be grazed
upon q. national forest seem TO be SUI
fering from disease, the stock is sub
5ected to a rigid inspection by the fed
sral 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
protect their stock against blackleg,
permfttees are encourag ed TO use vac
cine, furnished free by the department
Of agriculture. Sheep suffering from
scab OF from lip and leg disease, are
barred from the forests until they have
been treated in conformity with the re-
uuirements Of the bureau Of animal
Industry This cooperation between the
two bureaus has made it possible q
keen 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 great
" reduced the number Of animals which
Drev upOu the domestic livestock, and
The loss from that source alone runs
into the millions OF dollars each year
Within the forest however, the num-
Der Of domestic animals killed has been
apDreciably reduced by the campaign
AGAINST wild animals va ged by the Of
ficers Of the service During the last
eight years forest officers have killed
more than 5000 predatory animals,
consisting OF coyotes. wolves. bear,
mountain lions. Wildcats and lynx.
The losses due to poisonous plants
have been IN the aggregate the most
and the most difficult to
guard AGAINST. Stockmen knew gener-
ally that certain flats OF valleys or hill
side slopes could not be used for graz
ing without heavy losses Of stock. but
there was much doubt as 10 what caused
the loss Gradually it was determined
that the losses were due to various
species OF plants Later, II was learned
that in most instances these plants,
while extremely poisonous during GER
tain periods OF the year. were compare
lively inoxious during the remainder Of
the grazing season
PIacard Poisonous Areas
The forest officers determined the
various plant species which caused
death or injury Of livestock, the periods
during which each species is dangerous
and the areas of forest land upon which,
the plants are sufficiently abundant TO
cause losses Of stock
20 e#a m Tar-f=a 4
means Of preventing the losses Where I
definite information is Obtainable, the {
outer limits of the poison areas are
marked by warning placsrds, which Z
give the name Of the poisonous plant, 4
the kind Of stock to which it is IN I
furious. and the period during which I
IL is most harmful With this warning, /
stockmen are enabled to so handle their I
stock as TO prevent the occupancy OF 4
the. poison area during its danger /
period