410 STATE BOARD OF AGRICLLTURE 



tagious and infectious diseases of live stock, with the exception of tuber- 

 culosis in cattle and swine plague. 



Numerous cases of actinomycosis (lumpy jaw) have been reported dur- 

 ing the last year, and each case quarantined. The treatment recom- 

 mended in mild cases is almost invariably successful. Each quarantined 

 animal is released as soon as pronounced cured by the State Veterinarian. 

 Successful treatment of any contagious disease, or preventing the spread 

 thereof, is assured only when a rigid quarantine is maintained, and local 

 health officers should take all possible pains to assist owners of infected 

 herds or individual animals to check the spread of any outbreak in its 

 incipiency. Thoroughness in all details is absolutely essential to success 

 in stamping out any disease. 



The live stock of the State is in a healthy condition, with few excep- 

 tions. In previous reports from various sources, a certain per cent of 

 some disease has been given as a fair average for the whole State, but 

 there may be considerable inaccuracy in the per cent given, as the com- 

 mission has never gathered any statistics of its own bearing upon the 

 per cent of unhealthy animals in the State. 



The commission does not believe in adopting such extreme measures as 

 have previously prevailed with the commissions of New York and Mas- 

 sachusetts regarding the suppression of tuberculosis in cattle. Neither 

 one of two extremes may be ultimatelj^ successful, and we doubt 

 whether this disease among cattle will ever become entirely extinct, so 

 long as "high pressure" environments are maintained by breeders of 

 pure bred dairy cattle, and dairymen who keep large herds for a city 

 milk supply. 



A clearer knowledge of the laws of sanitation is imperatively needed 

 by the majority of owners of live stock. It is true that pestilence fol- 

 lows ignorance, and one ignorant farmer in a neighborhood may, by care- 

 lessness, indolence and maintaining filthy environments, cause swine 

 plague to spread among not only his own herd, but to a score or more of 

 his neighbors' as well. 



Swine plague and the so-called hog cholera are at hand, and our com- 

 mission is making preparations to limit their ravages, so far as possible. 

 We believe that special bulletins, prepared by this commission and sent to 

 each township health officer where an outbreak of swine plague is re- 

 ported, would be of great value in quickly and cheaply affording accurate 

 information to every owner of an infected herd, showing him how to 

 quarantine the diseased animals, treat the well ones, and urging im- 

 proved sanitary surroundings and furnishing plenty of pure fresh water 

 every day, 



At this time of year many hogs suffer want of shade and pure fresh 

 water, and we believe these conditions militate greatly against each ani- 

 mal's vitality, which is almost constantly lowered each additional day 

 during the months of August and September. The lack of water and 

 intense heat, combined with filthy surroundings, may not cause swine 

 plague to start, but these conditions certainly do aggravate the disease 

 in a majority of cases. 



The losses from swine plague and hog cholera each season are greater 

 than from all other diseases combined, often reaching several thousand 

 dollars in a single township. As yet, no cure has been found for this 

 disease, and prevention is far better than a cure. So, if the commission 



