Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-01-18
LOSSES THROUGH
swine DISEASES
Cholera, tuberculosis and Para
sites Are Drawbacks.
SIMPLE METHODS ARE URGED
Farmer May Avoid, to Large Extent,
Defamation of His Herd by Epi-
zootics-sanitary Preventive
Measures Are Favored.

The greatest drawbacks to the hog
Industry that breeders in this country
have to contend with are the losses
through hog cholera, tuberculosis. and
the infestatiOn of the animals, eSpe-
cially young pigs, by parasites. Were
IL not for the fecundity of swine their
profitable production in the presence
of these serious diseases would be out
Of the question. In the following re-
marks on sanitation no attempt Is
made to go into the details of the dis
eases affecting hogs or their treat
ment. The object Is merely to call at
tention to the simple measures which
may be used by any farmer to avoid,
to a large extent, the defamation OF
his herd by epizootics. Cleanliness
and rational methods Of management
are relied upon by thousands Of farm
ers to keep their herds in health and
vigOr. They are the marks Of the
good farmer and successful hog
breeder.
Hog cholera and swine plague. both
highly fatal diseases characterized by
fever and heavy mortality, are SO very
similar that the breeder may regard
them as identical so far as his prac-
teal management Of the herd is con-
cerned. Positive differentiation be-
| tween the two diseases can only be
made by the most careful bacteriOlOg-
ical tests. and by employing the as
sistance offered by fully equipped
laboratory. However. sanitary pre-
ventive methods which are found bene-
fetal with one of these diseases will
prove equally efficaciOus. with the
other.
There are q few fundamental facts
which the breeder must remember II
he is to avoid losses through hog chOl'
era or swine plague. The first is tina,
they are specific diseases caused by
germs, and the contagiOn cannot be
spread from one animal to another OF
from one herd to another except
through the agency Of these minute or
ganisms They may be carried in
multitude of ways-by the hogs them
selves on the clothing Of persons, or
vehicles. in feed, by birds, dogs, ant
other animals, or by streams. Tit
breeding or feed of a hog cannot cause
either disease. although bad methods
may 80 weaken the constitution and vi
tality that the animal becomes NOR
susceptible to them than would other
wise be the case. Since these dis
eases can only arise from the pres
ence Of these specific causative agents
1t can readily be seen that dentitioI
and the presence of supernumerar,
teeth or black tusks cannot, as ha
been suggested by many, play an,
bart in their development. A secon'
fact to be borne in mind Is that dis
eases caused by germs may he hes
prevented or controlled by Thorough
disinfection and scrupulous cleanll
ness.
tuberculosis Increasing.
tuberculosis Is rapidly increasin
among hogs in the United States, an
every owner of swine should he on hi
guard against the introduction Of thi
serious malady upon his premise.
. Unlike hog cholera this disease Is ir
cidiOus in it's attack and slow in its d.
velopment. so that it may be preser
: for months in herd without excitin
the least suspicion Of the owner. an
will be revealed to him only at tn
time of slaughter. Until recent year
tuberculosis has been looked upon q
Of uncommon occurrence and only {
7 importance from meat-inspectiQ
+. standpoint; bat today 1t must be re-
> ognized as q serious menace to til
owner of hogs. and especially to III
one who allows his hogs to run wit
|, cattle that have not been proved to I
.. free Of tuberculosis. or who feeds the
: upon nOnsterilized products as pa
] of their ration. AS tuberculosis
( hogs is chiefly contracted through en-
Ing infected feed. the Importance I
r This statement is obvious.
: tuberculosis of hogs Is closely a
ISOLATED with the same disease in ca
J tie, the reason being apparent whit
: one considers the close relations
. these two species of animals upt
q nearly every farm. TuberculOus ca
n tie may scatter great numbers Of
O bercle bacilli with their excremen
cows that are tuberculOus may pr
: duce contaminated milk that Is SUI
seQuently fed to pigs; and carcass
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