512 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



corn. This dry rot was of a pinkish color. On the farms that had 

 never had any trouble of this kind he did not find any diseased corn. 

 This led him to suspect that it must be the fungus on the corn that 

 was producing the disease. The disease was similar to that caused 

 by cattle eating ergotized grain. In horses it usually affects the 

 hoofs and there is a sloughing off of the hoofs at the coronet band. 



A number of chickens were seen on these infected farms where- 

 there was a great loss of feathers. On all farms where this trouble 

 existed the eggs were not fertile. 



Suspecting the grain, a quantity of corn from farms where 

 this trouble existed was shipped to the University farm, where it 

 was fed to some hogs. In a short time it produced the symptoms 

 observed on the farms in Boyd County. The bristles were shed and 

 the hoofs were sloughing. While in this condition the animals suf- 

 fered greatly, especially when compelled to move about. The ani- 

 mals became gaunt very rapidly and where this kind of infected 

 feed was continued a large per cent of them finally died. 



As mentioned, the owners of the infected stock did not attrib- 

 ute this trouble to the grain but to the drinking water or to the 

 soil. Samples of water were therefore taken from each farm that 

 was visited, and the Chemical Department made examination to 

 determine whether there was an excessive amount of alkali in the 

 water. It was found that the soil did not contain an excessive 

 amount of alkali. The trouble could not therefore be due to alkali 

 in the water. Furthermore, alkali could not produce the symp- 

 toms that were present. Chemical analyses were also made of the i 

 corn but it was found not to contain any abnormality. The fungus 

 found on the corn was not analyzed at that time on account of other 

 work pressing. As stated, the corn that was sent to the Station and 

 fed to hogs produced the identical disease in them. 



Another experiment was then conducted. The dry mold that 

 was found on the corn was cultivated on crackers and corn meal 

 mush, and this was fed to shoats and again the disease was pro- 

 duced, showing once more that this fungus Fusarium caused the 

 disease. Again, the facts that this peculiar corn having the dry 

 rot on it was found on every farm on which there were diseased ani- 

 mals, and that it was absent on the farms that had never had any 

 trouble, go to show that the disease must be due to the fungus. 

 (Neb. 17th A. K) 



WHEAT AND BARLEY BEARDS. 



Frequently when hogs are turned on wheat or barley stubble 

 some will die. The symptoms which they present will vary. In 

 some cases it will be an intense sore mouth, in others a general 

 bowel disturbance, and again in others, loud and difficult breathing. 



Lesions. Post mortem lesions show beards in the mouth, 

 stomach and windpipe. A roll of beards may form and get down 

 by the side, or at the root of the tongue, and penetrate the mucous 

 membrane. The animal cannot get rid of them and the parts 

 become intensely swollen and inflamed, interfering with eating 

 and starvation may occur. Plugs of beards may lodge at any point 



