Swine Growers' Association. 317 



the distributing points of hog cholera infection, in spite of vigilant 

 3are on the part of the management — through the ignorance or 

 carelessness of an inexperienced exhibitor or his herdsman in not 

 guarding against infection at the home station or en route. Pro- 

 tection against these dangers, I am confident, can, in a great meas- 

 ure, be secured by inoculation of the "show herds" with the im- 

 munizing serum before the swine are shipped from home. This 

 should be done with a tested serum, made and used under State 

 supervision. 



I was solicited last year by a few exhibitors to inoculate their 

 "show herds" before they were taken to the fairs; this was not 

 done because the parties did not apply for the aid until a short 

 time before shipment. The inoculation should be done two or 

 three weeks before shipping, so that any soreness, which, in rare 

 instances, occurs from the inoculation, will have disappeared be- 

 fore taking the animals into the show ring. 



Several exhibitors who lost hogs from cholera last year intend 

 to have their show herds inoculated this year before starting on 

 the fair circuit. 



Secretary Stinson of the State Fair Board, in a letter to me 

 on this subject, expressed the hope that all exhibitors will take 

 this precaution. The oifer is here made by the veterinary depart- 

 ment of the College of Agriculture, to supply free of charge the 

 serum and the services of a competent man to inoculate all herds 

 that are entered for exhibit at the Missouri State Fair or the 

 American Royal during the coming autumn, provided that the ex- 

 hibitor pays the traveling expenses of the man who is sent to do 

 the work. By this means the great losses from cholera, such as 

 have fallen on exhibitors in past years should be prevented, as 

 well as the danger of spreading the disease to other herds in vari- 

 ous sections of the State. All who intend to avail themselves of 

 this service should make this known to Secretary Stinson, or to 

 us, several weeks before the opening of the Fair, so that we may 

 provide the serum for this special service, and have time to visit 

 the farms of all who desire the work done. It should not be un- 

 derstood that the State Fair Board will make inoculation against 

 cholera a requisite for entry, but simply advise it in the interest 

 of the exhibitor. I am sure that the Fair Board will not relax in 

 the least the sanitary measures that have been carried out in the 

 past to secure clean, healthful quarters for the housing of the 

 swine entered for exhibit. 



