REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 259 



feed. What is wanted is more cleanliness and more muscle-making feed, especially 

 while the hog is growing. 



CHASE. Hog cholera has not made its appearance in our county as yet. 



CHERRY. No cases of hog cholera have as yet appeared in this county. 



CLAY. Cholera made its appearance among the hogs of this county in the early 

 fall of 1884, with very fatal results. At least three-fourths of the entire hog crop 

 died from its effects during the fall, winter, and spring following. There have been 

 frequent outbreaks since, with much smaller losses. I know of no well-directed 

 effort to treat the disease. There is but little attention paid to sanitary measures. 

 The heaviest losses have occurred in those herds kept in close, dry yards, with little 

 or no green food. 4 



COLFAX. Hog cholera was running riot here a few years ago, but this year so far 

 no cholera has been reported. 



CUMING. The year of the first appearance of hog cholera in this county was in 

 1885. These animals were healthy previous to that time. The disease did not 

 prevail during 1887. 



DAWSON. The so-called hog cholera first made its appearance in this county about 

 three years ago. There can be no mode of introduction given correctly. At first 

 it was supposed to have been introduced by infected hogs which were thrown in 

 the streams. Those living along streams generally constructed their hog yards 

 so the hogs could have access to the water, thinking the hogs would enjoy better 

 health. At first the disease seemed to follow the stream; now it makes no differ- 

 ence whatever. It will break out in a new herd miles back from the streams, several 

 miles from any infected hogs, but where it gets a foothold most of the herds in the 

 vicinity seem to take it, although some escape. 



DIXON. There is a disease among the hogs of this county that has prevailed more 

 or less since 1882. The loss has been very severe. I had it among my hogs the 

 winter of 1883, and again this whiter, and perhaps can give no better description of 

 it than to explain the way it operated on my herd, which, as near as I can ascertain, 

 is about the same in all cases. In the first case it is more fatal with shoats and 

 pigs than older hogs, although in some cases the older ones die with it. The pigs 

 that were born in the spring of 1887 looked very thrifty, except one or two which 

 were removed about August. They began coughing, say one or two of them. This 

 cough seemed like an effort to throw off something from the lungs, or as if dust 

 were in the throat. In some cases they refused to eat and grew thin, and finally 

 would die. In other cases they would seem droopy and dull, ml would die very 

 suddenly instead of lingering as in the case of gradually growing poor. They all 

 seemed to be thirsty, and would drink at every opportunity. I changed feed from 

 corn to ship-stuff. The bowels in some cases would be very loose and the secretion 

 would be like black water; in other cases the manure would resemble that of sheep, 

 being very hard and black. Some fat hogs would get sick and refuse to eat for a 

 week, but would come around again all O. K. When they died there was very 

 disagreeable odor. I fed some of the advertised remedies, but with no success. 

 Had several cases where there would a sore come on the leg or back. Have one 

 hog now in the yard which has recovered and there is a large swelling coming 

 on the back directly over the shoulders. It will break after awhile. It does not 

 seem to affect the hog. My hogs are bred from an English Beekshire boar crossed 

 on good common sows, in which there is considerable Poland China. I had a pure- 

 bred sow two years old, but she did not seem to be affected. I have lost 20 last 

 spring pigs out of 30. In one case I had 2 pigs bred as above stated that came in 

 March, 1887; one got the disease and is just alive at this writing; can not any whether 

 it will pull through or not; the other is and always has been through "the whole 

 time as thrifty a hog as I ever saw (both are sows); never seemed to have it at all. 

 I have known cases where it did not affect a neighbor where the farms join. My 

 yard is away from running water; I get my water from a well. As in all such 

 cases, all local parties have remedies, but I think I can safely say that none of them 

 are any good. I think the trouble is with the lungs. I have" known cases where 

 the disease had entirely disappeared from a section of the county and suddenly 

 would break out in a herd that had been healthy when it was in this section before. 

 The diet is almost wholly corn in this county. Have seen cases where all the hair 

 came off. I had several hogs where the black hair was mixed with white, making 

 the hog have a gray appearance after the disease, which prior to it was coal black. 



DODGE. My assistants have made no response to this circular, and I can only 

 give you what I know in my own vicinity. Hog cholera, or whatever it is, has 

 visited three farms and destroyed 75 head on one; 70 head on another, and 120 head 

 on the other. The disease has not been as general as it was a . few years ago. One 

 of the men introduced the disease by buying a load of hogs that proved to be sick, 

 but in the other cases there was no visible cause. 



