157 



From the reports received the approximate percentage of grubby cat- 

 tle aud the average loss on grubby hides for the principal stock-raising 

 States of the Mississippi Valley have been estimated as follows (August 



7, 1889) : 



Illinois. — Seventy-three per cent, of the cattle marketed in the grubhy season are 

 infested with grubs. The average loss on a grubby hide is one-third. 



Iowa. — Seventy-one per cent, of the cattle in the majority of counties are grubby 

 in the season specified. Loss on grubby hides one-third. 



Indiana. — Forty-eight per cent, of the cattle grubby. Loss on hides one-third. 



Wisconsin. — Thirty-three per cent, of cattle grubby. Loss on hides one- third. 



Ohio. — Fifty-six per cent, of cattle grubby. Loss on hides one-third. 



Missouri. — Fifty-seven per cent, of cattle grubby. Loss on hides one-third. 



Kansas.— Sixty per cent, of cattle grubby. Loss on hides one third. 



Kentucky. — Fifty-seven per cent, of cattle grubby. Loss on hides one-third. 



In Minnesota and Dakota grubs are practically unknown among cattle. 



In Xebraska they are not very bad where found ; twelve counties report an averag*e 

 of 40 per cent. The rest heard from are free of Jhe pest. Grubby hides are ' ' docked " 

 one -third of their value. 



In Michigan 61 per cent, of the cattle are infested with grubs in the southern and 

 middle counties. In the northern counties they are unknown or very scarce. Grubby 

 hides sell for one-third less than sound ones. 



The amount of this loss can be better appreciated perhaps by repro- 

 ducing in condensed form the approximate estimate of the loss on the 

 hides of cattle received at the Union Stock- Yards of Chicago during the 

 grubby season, which includes the months from January to June. Using 

 the reports by States above given as a basis it is estimated that 50 per 

 cent, of the cattle received are grubby. The average value of a hide is 

 put at $3.90; and while from the report referred to one-third value is 

 the usual deduction for grubby hides in this estimate, but $1 is deducted, 

 or less than one-third. The number of cattle received in 1889 for the six 

 months indicated was 1,335,026, giving a loss on the 50 percent, of grubby 

 animals of $667,5 L3. When to this is added the loss from depreciated 

 value and lessened quantity of the beef, the amount for each infested 

 animal is put at $5, indicating a total loss on these animals from the 

 attack of the fly of $3,337,565. 



Without considering the lessened quantity, the inferiority of the beef 

 of animals infested by the grub is strikingly shown in an article on the 

 subject in which the testimony of retail butchers and buyers of meat 

 in Chicago and other cities is given. It is shown that the buyers of 

 the highest class of meat, who supply hotels and restaurants, will not 

 on any account purchase carcasses ^showing traces of Warble attack. 

 Such beef has to be sold, therefore, at a price below that obtainable 

 for good beef, free from grub damage, and the lessened value per animal 

 was put at from $2 to $5. 



The appearance known as Licked-Beef, which, resulting from the pres- 

 ence of the grub, may be described as a moist or running surface of a 

 greenish-yellow color, is certainly unwholesome in look, if not in fact. 

 The description of such meat as given in the Fanners 1 Review, quoting 



