The courier-index., 1917-11-23
CONSERVATION Of
HOGS IMPERATIVE
Worlds Supply of Pork is Estimated
To Be Thirty-five Per
Cent Short.

BY DR.. V. w. Knowles, Extension Di-
| vision, University of Arkansas, State
Veterinarian. Bureau of Animal In
| dustry and L. s. Department of Ag-
riculture, Cooperating.
Arkansas lost $4,000 hogs in 1915
| from hog cholera, and the losses this
wear will be even greater I'M
less our people take every precaution
TO protect their animals. With the
worlds supply of pork approximately
35 per cent short, the situation is seri-
Gus and everything must be done, not
only to prevent these losses, which
are a burden the farmers themselves
have to bear. but to conserve the meat
supplies of the nation.
Since the hog supplies approximate
" one-half of all meats consumed in
the United States, conservation Of
hogs nov on hand and greatly fncreas-
ed production become of the highest
Importance. Increased production can
be effected not only by breeding more
sows, but by using registered boars,
thus producing offspring that win be
larger IN size and better feeders. II
every farmer will retain in his herd
every good gilt to be bred this fall
and next spring the meat supply viii
be greatly increased during the next
year. and the farmer viii have done
,,,,.x1, 4~.x,-a,.,l tho 1.-;nntpc IF tho v-or
Hog cholera causes more than 80
per cent of all losses in hogs III the
United States; therefore, conservation
of our meat supply means the control
of hog cholera. In the South, where
the temperatures are. more or less uni
form. severe outbreaks of hog cholera
may occur at any season of the year,
but usually it is most virulent and
reaches its greatest height during the
fall and early winter.
Hog cholera occurs in herd only
through the Introduction of the spe
cific germ that causes it. Hogs affect
ed with cholera discharge the germ
from their bodies through the urine
the feces, and the secretions of the
nose and eyes. Therefore, the ma
nure, bedding, litter of all sorts. and
the dirt in pens where sick hogs are
kept contain the germs of the disease
These germs may enter the system oil
the well hog by means of food OF
drink, and probably also through
wounds in the skin.
The extensive shipment Of hogs By
rail has resulted in the germ of chol
era being deposited in public stock
yards and railroad cars 1t has alsC
been deposited on farms IN practically
every community in Arkansas, where
il will remain virulent for a year OIL
| longer. It is believed that any agency
which may become a carrier of ma
nure. bedding, litter or dirt from in
fecred cars, stock yards or farms t.
well herds or the introduction of dis
eased hogs therein may be the mean:
OF injecting the well herd
If cholera appears in a communit,
1t may be promptly and effectively
controlled by the serum treatment
This is a treatment which has beer
developed in the United States De
partment of Agriculture and is recon
mended by all the states in the Union
Arkansas is fortunate in having thu
State Serum Plant at Little Rocl
which furnishes serum at cost to tn.
residents Of the state
Farmers desiring Information rela
tive to the control of hog cholera ar,
invited to consult the county agent il
his county. with the Extension Divf
sion of the University of Arkansas
DR.. r. NJ. Cow, State Veterinarian
Little Rock. or DR.. V. w Knowles, In
spector in Charge of Hog Cholera
Work, Old Statchouse. Little Rock
Ark