GUAM AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 11 



Unlike conditions in the Pliilijipine Islands and many other tropical 

 sections, neither foot-and-mouth disease, surra, nor rinderpest exists 

 in Guam. In fact, no contagious or infectious diseases of any nature 

 have been observed among cattle in Guam, and it is certam that none 

 of a seriously virulent nature prevails. In this connection it might 

 be said that both the Texas cattle tick (Margaropus annulatus) and 

 the Australian cattle tick {M. annulatus australis), the former the 

 carrier of the Texas fever protozoan on the mainland of the United 

 States and the latter reported to be a transmitter of the disease to 

 susceptible cattle in the Philippines, are found in Guam; but it is 

 believed that the native cattle are immune to Texas fever. 



The prospects of success in the attempt to improve the class of 

 cattle through crossing the native cows with sires of the improved 

 breeds from the United States seem specially promising. Several 

 years ago the naval government imported d number of American 

 milk cows in order to furnish a supply of fresh milk for officers and 

 their families, and while this introduction did not succeed, a few of 

 the offspring mixed with the blood of native cattle are still found, 

 and their superiority over the pure nativ'e animal is readily recog- 

 nized. These cows were of the Jersey breed, and their mixed 

 progeny rank considerably above the native animal in the develop- 

 ment of their milking qualities. An example of the improvement 

 brought about by this cross is well shown in a cow belonging to the 

 station, which carries three-fourths native blood and one-fourth blood 

 of the Jersey stock mentioned above. She is remarkably hardy, 

 fully as easily kept as the pure native animal, and weighs 900 pounds 

 when in good condition. She is larger than any native cow on the 

 island. (PI. I, fig. 2.) A few cows were also introduced a few years 

 ago by American missionaries, and the offsprmg of these animals 

 show similar improvement. 



It is believed that the work of improvement will soon gain favor 

 with the native stock owner, who is quick to recognize quality in a 

 superior animal. The prices of cattle intended for slaughter are 

 based upon the amount of beef they will dress. The draft animal 

 of unusual strength or the cow yielding an uncommonly large quan- 

 tity of milk is quickly noted, and stories of its performances are told 

 with much enthusiasm. 



With the object of giving a more definite idea of the size of the 

 native animals than could be gained from the above statements, 

 weights and measurements taken indiscriminately of a few animals 

 as they happened to be available for the purpose are recorded in the 

 tables following. 



