SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX 511 



HOG CHOLERA CONTROL WORK IN DALLAS COUNTY. 



BY J. R. MOHI.ER, ACTING CHIEF OF BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



The work of hog cholera control in Dallas county was instituted in 

 July, 1913, in co-operation with the state authorities, with the use of 

 free serum, administered by bureau veterinarians, to demonstrate the 

 possibility of reducing hog cholera losses by quarantine and sanitary 

 measures in connection with the preventive serum treatment, and to 

 work out a plan that might be applied for state-wide hog cholera control 

 work. 



Surveys from time to time indicate that in 1913 there were 118,550 

 hogs raised in the county, and that there were 324 outbreaks of hog 

 cholera with a total loss of 12,000 hogs or 10.1 per cent. 



In 1914 there were 138,320 hogs raised and 302 outbreaks of hog 

 cholera resulting in a loss of 6,810 or 4.9 per cent. 



During the year 1915 there were 124,540 hogs raised, with only 60 

 outbreaks of hog cholera and 1,240 hogs lost, or nine-tenths of one per 

 cent. 



In connection with these experiments in Dallas county during the 

 three years, the bureau treated 25,350 hogs in infected herds, with a loss 

 of 4,231 or 16.8 per cent, notwithstanding the fact that 9,510 were sick 

 at the time of treatment. According to general estimates the loss in 

 these infected herds without treatment would have been 85 per cent or 

 21,547 hogs, which would indicate a saving at the average price during that 

 period of $142,758.00 which represents many times the cost of the work. 



It is also reasonable to presume that in the absence of these experi- 

 ments cholera would have become widespread over the county, whereas our 

 reports indicate that on June 30, 1916, there was no hog cholera in the 

 county. The bureau feels that the success of the work was largely due 

 to the cleaning and disinfecting of stock cars, stock yards, and unloading 

 chutes, the proper disposition of dead animals, and the restrictions 

 placed upon the movement of stock, together with the early application 

 of the preventive serum treatment. 



The experiment in Dallas county, as well as those in other states, 

 has served a useful purpose by demonstrating what may be accomplished 

 in this way, but the plan with the use of free serum administered by 

 bureau veterinarians is too expensive to lend assistance to any great 

 portion of even one states', and has therefore been discontinued. It is 

 believed that with the plan now being instituted, under which the various 

 interests share in the expense, hog cholera losses in Iowa will be 

 reduced to a minimum and the disease in time eradicated. 



ABORTION IN COWS. 



V.Y UK. PETER MALCOLM, ASSISTANT STATE VETERINABLiN, NEW HAMPTON, lA. 



This question is one of great importance to the veterinarian as well 

 as to the breeder of cattle. 



Abortion, using the general meaning of the word, is expulsion of 

 the foetus before it is viable. In viewing this subject from a practical 



