The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-02-20

HALT HOG CHOLERA RAVAeEs
Farmers Should Insist on Animals
Being Vaceinated by Cempe-
tent Veterinarian.
prepared by the United States Depart
nanf q

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
Farmers should insist that all the
stock hogs which they purchase for
feeding purposes should be properly
vaccinated by competent and cOnsci-
entfOus veterinarians in order to pre-
vent the spread of hog cholera. On
like the larger stock yards of the coun-
try, which are properly protected by
qualified government representatives,
many Of the smaller local yards are en-
tirely without safeguards against
cholera.
Immature hogs go from the farms of
origin mainly because of lack of feed
or on account OF disease. The pur-
chaser who buys such sick hogs on
the market for feeding purposes usual
~ introduces disease into his home
herd. To STIMULATE production and
to conserve our available pork supply
none but vaccinated, immunized
healthy hogs should be maintained in
the feed lot. If the farmer wishes to
aid in increasing food supplies, he
should help increase our hog supply
by routing disease.
The practice Of buying hogs from
public stock yards for feeding and
stocking purposes, custom which has
been intensified In this war emergency,
has to a large degree complicated the
work of controlling hog cholera In
many cases, owing to improper equip
ment for immunizatiOn and disinfec-
ton Of hogs, new centers Of infection
have been introduced in communities
previously free from the disease, and
the movement of hogs from public
stock yards having no supervision by
state or federal authorities and where
treatment for the prevention Of chol-
era is not compulsory is a serious
handicap in the fight to prevent the
spread of Infection.
Some losses have resulted from
shipments of stOcker hogs even when
originating at public stock yards hav-
ing government inspection, particular
~ in the early beginning of extensive
movements Of these animals for feed
ing purposes. Several factors were
responsible, such as improper equip
ment for immunizatiOn and 6isinfec-
ton, insufficient doses Of serum for
hogs exposed to infection, the appli-
cation of treatment prOmiscuOusly by
anyone chosen by the buyer of the
hogs, and the use of the serum-alone
treatment, which produces an immuni-
ty of very short duration. These are
proofs positive that "haste makes
waste" but these Objectionable fea-
lures are being. overcome. Where
proper equipment is being installed,
dosage Of serum increased and the
treatment placed in the hands of COM
petent veterinarians, losses occurring
in shipments of this character have
been reduced to a minimum.
There is reason TO believe that with
the various agencies in each state,
such as county agents and farm bu-
reaus, interested in the increased pro-
duction of meat animals, a system of
exchange could be established to bring
together farmers with a surplus of
hogs and no feed and those having
more feed than hogs, with view of
having the transfer of these animals
effected locally and avoid the long and
dangerous journey to a public stock
market and back TO farms oftentimes
in the same community.