



104 THE LUNG PLAGUE OF CATTLE. 



There is no provision for the warm air to escape, the floor overhead being water-tight, 

 and the air was charged with ammonia from the decomposing manure, and damp 

 from the steam of the hot slop. It was stated however that the cattle fatten quicker 

 in this basement, and an additional one, had been built this fall. The drainage of 

 this as well as of all the sheds here is into the river. The feed in all these stables is 

 slop three or four times per day and hay once, but in some twice per day. Salt is a Iso 

 given once a day in order that the cattle may drink as much slop as possible. No 

 water is given and no bedding is placed in the stalls for them to lie upon. 



At C. S. Clark & Co.'s distillery, C. C. Clark is feeding cattle. The present num- 

 ber is 960, which were begun to be put in September 24th, and in a month's time 

 were all tied up. The stables are wooden sheds and allow for each animal 886.75 

 cubic feet space. The stock were bought in Iowa, with the exception of a-feV car- 

 loads from Chicago. 



Mr. Clark stated that 9 had died this season, 2 from Texas fever and the others 

 from being crippled. He had been on the lookout for lung plague, but had never 

 found any among his cattle. He took considerable pains to examine the lungs of cat- 

 tle that died, but never found them abnormal in appearance. Some steers are affected 

 with a wheeze in breathing, but he has found that due to a lump in the throat (pro- 

 bably enlarged thyroid). The only disease he was afraid of was Texas fever, and the 

 chance of getting that among his cattle he avoided by purchasing in Iowa and North- 

 ern States. 



Mr. Clark called my attention especially to one steer that had what he called " thick * 

 wind," and the circumstances of purchase made him suspicions. The temperature 

 of the steer was 101.3 Fall., and the lungs perfectly resonant and healthy. I con- 

 sidered him free from lung plague as well as all the others upon the premises.- In a 

 yard, turned loose, were 15 or 20 with sores or bruises upon them that are not tied up 

 until they recover. 



At Zell, Rchwabecker & Co.'s, J. M. Greenbaum & Co., of Chicago^ are the owners 

 of the cattle. The present number is 2,200 head, part of which were western steers 

 from Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, or Oregon, and the others native steers. One 

 large brick stable would hold 1,150 head, and was well lighted and ventilated. The 

 roof Was 14 feet above the floor at the lowest place aii^ 25 at the highest, which would 

 give on an average 672.75 cubic feet space to each. The other cattle were in wooden 

 sheds of the ordinary pattern. The cattle were perfectly healthy, and the annual loss 

 was stated to be 1 per cent. In a yard, loose, were about a dozen cripples. 



At the Great Western Distillery, Nelson Morris of Chicago is the owner of the cattle, 

 J. F. Greenhut, agent. One large brick stable built this year and not entirely finished 

 holds 2,700 head. It is built in a series of tiers rising from 10 to 28 feet, giving for 

 the average 714.875 cubic feet space. Instead of being tied with chains, as was the 

 practice in all the other stables I had before visited, the cattle were confined in pens 

 3 feet wide and 7 feet long, with a bar across the rear end to prevent them from 

 backing out. A stream of w r ater flows constantly through a sewer in the center of 

 the building, and carries away the manure and urine into the river. The lighting 

 and ventilation was all that could be desired. One-third of these cattle came direct 

 from Council Bluffs, and the others from Chicago. They were put in between Octo- 

 ber 18 and November 17 ; three had died since that time. 



Mr. Greeuhut also stated that there had been less disease this year than for any 

 year since he had been feeding. Sometimes 2 per cent, die of Texas fever, which is 

 the only contagious disease he has seen among the cattle. He never had any lung 

 plague in the stables. The usual loss he stated to be 1 per cent. I examined the 

 cattle and found not one suffering with lung plague. 



At Spurk and Francis' distillery, Nelson Morris, of Chicago, is owner of the cattle. 

 The present number is 1,600 head, put in about September 1. The sheds were the 

 ' ordinary wooden ones. The cattle were free from lung plague. 



At J. W. Johnson's distillery, Biggins and Vincent are the owners of the cattle. 

 The present number is 1,245 head that were put in about September 1. It was stated 

 that three had died since that time. The sheds were the ordinary ones. Three 

 cripples were in the yard, but were free from lung plague, as were the other cattle. 



At the Monarch distillery, Nelson Morris is the owner of the cattle. The present 

 number is 3,596 head,, of which the majority was put in about September 1, though 

 some had been in all summer. The sheds were built of wood, but sufficiently lighted 

 and ventilated. The cattle were confined in pens and not tied. The annual loss 

 was stated to be about 30 head. No cases of lung plague among them. 



At G. T. Barker & Co.'s, Wilson & Co., of Peoria, are the owners of the cattle. 

 The present number is 1,503 head, of which 100 were loose in a yard, and the others 

 were tied up in the ordinary wooden sheds. The cattle were shipped direct from 

 Northern Iowa, and it was stated that but one had died since coming here. They 

 were healthy and free from lung plague. 



At Bush & Brown's distillery, Sadler & Wilson are feeding cattle. The present 

 number is 820 head, which were put in at different times since the middle of July. 



