The Coconino sun., 1918-09-27
Cattle Saved From Blackleg.


 Dr. R. H. Williams, animal husband man, of the University of Arizona, in an interview gives the following state ment concerning the prevalence and control of iblackleg in Arizona:
 "Blackleg is widely spread over Ari- zona, and causes the loss of thousands of cattle annually. These losses may be absolutely prevented by vaccinating all cattle under years of age. With gentle animals the vaccine, which may be secured free from the state veterinarian Phoenix, or the Bureau of Animal Industry, Washington, D. C., can be used to advantage. Com mercial companies prepare this same vaccine and sell it as pellets at 9c to 10c per dose. The pellet vaccine is more easily prepared and administered than the free, but either of these vac cines should prove satisfactory if ap- piled every six months until the ami mals are Is months old.
 Range cattle are usually wild and handled with difficulty, so that it is considered more feasible to use a sin gle treatment for vaccinating them.
 "There are several companies pre- pairing a special germ-free vaccine which renders the animals permanent ly immune. Treatment with this kind of vaccine costs from 35c to 50c a dose, but calves may be treated when they are as young as months, and this renders them permanently i'm mune the rest of their lives. Another advantage of this serum is that it gives the animals immediate protec- tion from the time of application, and some claim that the serum may have curative value if given in the early stages of the disease.
 ''It is anticipated that most of the range stockmen will use this new serum. The losses caused by black leg in Arizona are only second to that of starvation. There are possibly 30,- 900 head of young stock that die an- nually in Arizona from this disease alone, and the loss amounts to fully a million dollars year. There is abso- lutely no need of sustaining this loss if stockmen will vaccinate their ami mals.
 Another important consideration in overcoming the blackleg is that of burning all the carcasses of animals that die of this disease. If carcasses are burnt the germs which cause the disease will be destroyed, and no doubt in time the germs will be ex- terminated. Stockmen should coop crate in an effort to eradicate this most troublesome complaint from Ari- zona ranges"
 The semi-annual convention of the Cochise-Graham Cattle Growers As sociation was held in Stafford Friday and Saturday, September 20 and "A and was one of the best meetings ir the history of the association. A large number of cattlemen, with their fam lilies, from all parts of southern Ari- zona were present. After a business session Friday morning the visitors were treated to a program of sports in the afternoon.
 Saturday mornings session was taken up principally by the reading and adoption of several resolutions pertaining to the leasing privileges on state lands; decrease of 9 per cent in freight rates on cattle from Arizona to grazing lands outside of state; call ing on the government to carry out the Arizona Eastern Railroads prior agreement to fence it's right of way in Graham and Gila counties, and ex- emption of cowboys in draft.
 The next convention will be held in Wilcox next March.