The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-07-02
LOSS OF STOCK ENORMOUS

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 national forests. This waste
is said to add millions Of dollars 10
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
cattle and sheep; predatory animals
take a heavy toll poisonous plants
sometimes kill half the animals in a
herd almost over night. Cattle con
tract anthrax, blaekleg and other
diseases, get stuck in bog holes, slip
of icy hillsides; and sheep pile up and
die Of suffocation, Insects which
madden and kill swell the total losses
as do multitude of other minor
causes of death and injury.
How Disease is Prevented
If any of the animals to be grazed
upon a national forest seems 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 de-
velops suspicious symptoms the per-
mittee is requested TO remove il. The
carcasses of animals dying from in
fectious or communicable diseases
must be buried or burned, preferably
the latter. To protect their stock
against blackleg permittees are en-
to use vaccine furnished free
by the department Of agriculture.
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 cooperation between the two bur
eaus 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. Within the forests, however,
the number of domestic animals kill
ed has been appreciably 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-fve
thousand predatory animals, consist
ng Of coyotes, wolves, bear, mountain
ion, wild cats, lynx, etc.
The losses due to poisonous plants
nave been in the aggregate the most
and the most difficult to
yuard against. Stockmen knew gem
rally that certain flats or valleys or
hillside slopes could not be used for
grazing without heavy losses of stock,
nut there was much doubt as /. what
aused the loss. Gradually 1t was de-
ermined thht the losses were du.> to
'arious species of plants. Later. it
vas learned that in most instances
hese plants while extremely poison
'us during certain periods of the year,
we're comparatively innoxious during
he remainder Of the grazing season.
he forest officers determined the
'arious plant species which cause
cath or injury TO live stock,
he periods during which each species
5 dangerous, and the areas Of forest
and upon which the plants are sufii-
iently abundant to cause losses Of
took. The next step was to devise
Ways and means of preventing the
)sses. Where definite information is
btainable the outer limits of the
olson areas are marked by warning
lacards which give the name of the
oisonous plant, the kind of stock to
'hich it is injurious, and the period
uring which it is most harmful. With
his warning, stockmen are enabled
. handle their stock as to prevent the
occupancy of the poison area during
IS danger period. In cases where
ne areas Of poisonous plants are com
small the permittees have
cen encouraged to fence them, ma
erial for fence construction being
free of charge by the forest
srvice. The result Of this work has
cen to reduce the number of animals
'st through poisonous plants as com
AIRED to the numbers lost several
ears previously.
Losses From Poison Unpreyentabie
Notwithstanding all precautions
hich may be taken against stock
oisoning, losses from this source
ust be expected. During the past
.veral years the bureau Of plant in
lstry has been making a study Of
oisonous plants and Of antidotes. In
ie case Of larkgpur for eyamnle the