No. 5. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 109 



infection occurred. At no other time could the infection have been 

 spread so extensively and rapidly. 



Number counties in State infected, 27 



Number of cases in the State, 658 



Number of animals appraised: 



Cattle, 13,343 



Sheep, 313 



Swine, 6,996 



Amount of appraisement, |805,035 18 



Aside from the expense, six hundred and fifty-eight herd owners 

 have been tied up and prevented from carrying on the winter's work. 

 Traffic in cattle, sheep, hogs and crops has been practically at a 

 standstill in many parts of the state. In most cases people have met 

 the losses and embarrassment bodly and with but one purpose and 

 that was to get rid of the disease as soon as possible. In practically 

 every case the main objection or criticism was that it was too long 

 from the time a diseased herd was found till it was destroyed and 

 the premises disinfected. In most cases people were reasonably 

 patient in this respect. Some have wondered if a less destructive 

 method might not be used safely for exterminating the disease. This 

 is not to be wondered at when one considers that the death rate from 

 the disease is so low. It is known that practically 95 per cent, of the 

 cases will recover with no treatment except reasonable good care. In 

 a number of cases in the recent outbreak the affected animals had 

 recovered before they could be destroyed. The reason for taking 

 such extreme measures in dealing with this disease is not due to the 

 high death rate but to the fact that it is easily transmitted from 

 animal to animal and from place to place, and it does cause a de- 

 preciation in the value of the affected animals to the extent of about 

 $20 per head. 



We realize that the disease is not highly fatal and that recovery 

 will take place in a high percentage of cases without even a learned 

 course of treatment. It is one of the most highly contagious diseases 

 of cloven footed animals and while the death rate is comparatively 

 low the losses to animal industry are considerable. The disease has 

 gained a foot hold in nearly all European countries and it is prac- 

 tically impossible for them to adopt our method for exterminating 

 it. It is necessary to hold infected herds in quarantine for some- 

 thing over three months. A recent investigator in the Netherlands, 

 where the disease is common, has shown that it costs practically $20 

 per head in each infected herd to handle the disease in quarantine. 

 This is the best they can do after many years of experience in trying 

 to control it by the quarantine method. Their expense is figured on 

 the loss in milk production, loss in condition of meat producing ani- 

 mals, loss from w^ork in oxen, death from the disease and extra care 

 given to those that are sick. It is doubtful if a herd owner in this 

 country could afford to have Aphthous Fever in his herd for |20 per 

 head. This would not include the expense to the State and Federal 

 government for enforcing the quarantine. It has already cost $120 

 per head to care for the prize dairy herd at Chicago. If this method 

 were adopted there would be constant unrest in the neighborhood of 

 an infected herd. It would be necessary to increase the inspection 



