The Service's long-standing project for controlling predatory animals, 

 and rodents for .the protection "of .livestock, poultry ,' range forp,ge, ' agi^i- 

 cultural crops, and stored food and feed supplies v;as reofiGnted for; war- 

 tine effectiveness in promoting the f ood-for-freedon progran and in safe- 

 guarding caraps and aatorial fro'n disease-ljearing, fa"bric-des'troying, and 

 food-contaninating rodents. This activity is "being vigorously prosecuted ' 

 in cooperation with States, counties, municipalities, livestock and fam 

 organizations., and individuals "because the "killing of domestic livestock '. 

 by predatory anir.ie.ls is particularly serious in tine of war when wool, 

 neat, rnd leather products are of such vital importance for our arned 

 forces. 



Sach year. predatory aninals talcc a heavy toll of livestock and 

 poultry, particularly in the vast territorjr of publicly and privately 

 owned livestock ranges throughout the 11 V. stcrvi r;.:--;- Stat(;s, Texas, 

 Oldaiiona, ajad the Dakotas. This area represents the principe-l ranges 

 of the larger livestock-destroying predatory aninals. Likev/ise, this 

 is also the area in which a high percentage of the No,tion's neat, wool, 

 and nohair is produced. 



Eat and nouse destraction of grain in elevators and nills has .been 

 severe. Sanitary and rat-proofing ncthods for controlling these rodents 

 have been stressed to insiare lasting results. The control of rats and 

 field rodents has not only contributed directly to conserving agricultural 

 crops and stored food and feed supplies, but has also made itself felt /. 

 in checting endonic typhus fever, bubonic plague, and other rodent- '. 

 borne diseases that are transv.iis sable to nan. The Pish and Wildlife 

 Service cooperr'^ted with the TJ, S. Public Health Service and State and . 

 local health deportnents in prosecuting rodent control for the sup- 

 pression of disease. Several cnployees of the Service have been con- 

 nissioned in the Sanitary Corps of the U, S. Amy to supervise rodent 

 control oper;^,tions, on nilitr.ry reservations for the purpose of suppressing 

 rodent-borne diseases in those areas, - 



The denand for predator-control v/orkhas increased steadily because 

 livestock and.poultry crov^ers arc putting forth every effort to gain 

 increased production becp.use of'-'the war. Livestock producers realize 

 the inportnnce of protecting their livestock and poultry against predator 

 depredations if an increased supioly of their products is to be attained. 

 The need for wool for clothing to neet the Arny estinate of 100 pounds 

 of scoured v/ool for each .vian during his first ye.ar in service nakes it 

 a natter of grave concern -•^nd, if possible, to increase the output of . 

 doaestic vrool, the only supply deliverable in quantity to our nills v/ith- 

 out undergoing the hazards of narine transportation. 



The. rcquirenent. of 15,000,000 shearling pelts for lining aviators' 

 coats exceeds the present sur)ply. Lanolin, a byproduct of wool, is 

 needed in quantity to insure the snooth operation of war machine s. The 

 increased war denand for- meat and eggs has added significance to the 

 production r'oals for lamb, mutton, and poultry. The v/ool growers of 

 the nation have been requested by Amy officials to increase their 



