Hog Choleba and Its Prevention. 133 



Now when we consider that fully ninety percent of the 

 hpgs that die from disease die from hog cholera, we can 

 readily gain some idea of the magnitude of the losses we 

 are annually sustaining through this disease alone, and 

 of the imperative need for a nation-wide campaign against 

 this scourge in which not only breeders and farmers, but 

 state and national authorities themselves shall join, fight- 

 ing continuously and persistently with the end in view that 

 in, say ten years, our entire country may be declared prac- 

 tically cholera free. 



The financial losses sustained through the loss of pork 

 hogs alone is, however, only one phase of the proposition. 



The progressive, business farmer no longer follows the 

 practice of looking for his annual profits through the sale 

 of grain crops. Rather he looks for his gain through the 

 raising and sale of live stock. He needs the manure to 

 maintain the fertility of his soil, and he is appreciative of 

 the fact that a bushel of coira that sells for fifty cents on 

 the market, will bring him one dollar when disposed of in 

 the form of pork. 



Further this same farmer realizes, or is beginning to 

 realize, the greater returns to be gained from the breeding 

 and raising of pure-bred stock, and he is constantly endeav- 

 oring to improve his herds by the introduction of pure-bred, 

 registered animals. 



Yet it matters little how successful one may become as 

 a breeder of improved hogs, or in the building up of his 

 herd, as a feeder if he is to be at the mercy of hog cholera 

 epidemics, and is constantly confronted by a condition that 

 may in the space of a few days wipe out Ms entire herd, 

 destroy utterly the results of years of work and study in 

 selective breeding, and with it all inflict upon him a loss 

 that in many cases reaches into the thousands of dollars. 



Even a casual consideration of the facts given above will 

 show the absolute necessity of some definite, effective, con- 

 certed action which can and will stay the ravages of this 

 disease and work to its final elimination. And particularly 

 is this so when there is no longer any question that the 

 trouble can be controlled. 



Up until within the past few years hog cholera has been 

 one of the most stubborn diseases to respond to treatment. 



