304 DISEASES OF SWINE 



avoid many dangers, such as infected dust, stray hogs, and hog 

 buyers and butchers. 



(22) Stray hogs are always dangerous animals to deal with. 

 These animals have been traveling along the public highways, 

 perhaps for several days, and are almost certain to have come in 

 contact with the germs of the disease during their journey. As 

 a result, they soon develop hog-cholera after entrance to your 

 premises, and the result is a rapid spread of the disease among 

 your own herd and severe losses. 



In case a stray hog comes upon your premises, either immedi- 

 ately drive him away or else place him in a separate pen far re- 

 moved from the animals of your own herd, and hold for at least 

 thirty days awaiting an owner or the development of any infectious 

 disease to which he may have been exposed. At the end of thirty 

 days, if the owner cannot be found and the animal has shown no 

 symptoms of disease, he may be safely added to your herd. 



(23) Interchange of 5oars.— Exchange of boars from one prem- 

 ises to another is a dangerous practice. It is far better to own 

 your own boar. In this way you have the animal when you want 

 him, and you are not running the risk of infection being carried to 

 your feed lots from that of a neighbor. 



Shipment of sows to a distant breeding farm for the purpose of 

 breeding is also a dangerous practice. In this manner there is not 

 only the danger of picking up infection on the breeding farm, but 

 there is also the added danger of the sows coming in contact with 

 the infection on the road, either through infected cars or by passing 

 through infected stock-yards. In those cases where the animals 

 are sent by express the opportunity for infection in transit is 

 decidedly less. 



All sows that are thus sent away for breeding should be kept 

 in quarantine pens for at least thirty days after their return home, 

 the same as advised in connection with animals which are ex- 

 hibited at fairs. 



(24) Exchange of Farm Work. — Exchange of work between farms 

 is a custom that is to be encouraged, but, at the same time, you 

 must observe a few necessary precautions to avoid danger of carry- 

 ing cholera to your own farm from some premises where the disease 

 is present. It is a wise rule always to thoroughly scrub your shoes 



