Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

In Colorado the horse industry, as a whole, is very satisfactory. This year there have been 6 head of horses afflicted with glanders killed under the direction of the State veterinary surgeon, Dr. Faville; besides some were disposed of voluntarily by the owners, while others died. I have no reliable data as to the number, but am of the opinion that the total number of animals killed by this disease in the State so far this year will not exceed 30.

The loco-weed poisoning and Spanish itch amongst range horses this year from reports are not nearly as prevalent as last year, still there is no reliable information as to the number afflicted or the losses from either cause. These losses are so small in number as to be of no serious consequence.

In Wyoming the horse industry is in an equally satisfactory condition. The kind of horses most in use are "Texan," or "cow-ponies," used on the range. They are improving their horses by introducing fine-blooded animals from the East and South. Wyoming has many fine horses, and several horse ranches established to breed horses of as fine quality as are produced in the Union.

The only disease of a serious nature which afflicts horses of Wyoming is glanders. Last year the Territorial veterinary surgeon, Dr. Hopkins, under authority of the quarantine laws, killed 33 head afflicted with this disease. This year about the same number have been killed under similar circumstances. There is very little, if any, loco-weed poisoning of horses in Wyoming. I have no reliable reports of any thing of the kind in that Territory.

In Montana the horse industry is receiving a good deal of attention, and there are many fine animals in the Territory. They are improving the breed of horses by importation of fine blooded stock from the East. At their Territorial fair held at Helena last August there were many fine animals on exhibition which were a credit to Montana stockmen. The horses most in use are the same as in Wyoming. Glanders is the only contagious disease reported, but the reports are not sufficient to make an estimate. I infer that the disease is not widespread.

There is a report from one locality in Colorado of a disease similar to the loco weed poisoning. As there is no loco-weed in Montana the cause is a mystery, but it is undoubtedly a weed or vine poisoning of some kind from the symptoms given.

SHEEP INDUSTRY.

The number and value of sheep in the following-named State and Territories at this date (October 1, 1885) are about as follows:

[blocks in formation]

The sheep industry of Colorado is this year in a very satisfactory condition compared with that of last year. Winter losses were very small. The tape-worm disease is very limited, if any exists (no reports of any). Loco-weed poisoning is reported in some localities, but the

data indicates that it is not so serious as last year, although the reports show that the weed is extending north and east. In the State, on the range, there is the usual amount of "scab" among the sheep, but it is not of a serious nature, has its well-known remedies, and is easily eradicated.

In Wyoming, Montana, and Utah the sheep industry is in a very satis factory condition, and comparatively free from any contagious disease except the "scab," and this to a limited extent. "Scab" prevails, more or less, on all sheep ranges in the West, but as before stated, it is not serious, and can be easily eradicated.

HOGS.

The hog industry of Wyoming, Montana, and Utah is very limited, an industry indeed that receives but comparatively little attention. These Territories depend largely on the East for the hog product for local consumption, and each Territory imports nearly or quite a half million dollars' worth each year.

In conclusion, I may state that the live-stock interests of the West are in a reasonably satisfactory condition. We need more stringent quarantine laws, and these should emanate from the Congress of the United States, so as to be uniform in their application to all the country. The passage of such laws will be in harmony with the views of all intelligent stockmen of the West.

Respectfully submitted.

DENVER, COLO., October 15, 1885.

S. H. STANDART, Agent Bureau of Animal Industry.

CATTLE TRADE AND DAIRY INTERESTS OF ALABAMA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA AND OHIO.

Hon. NORMAN J. COLMAN,

Commissioner of Agriculture.

SIR: An attempt has been made to give in the following pages, as briefly as is consistent with their proper presentation, some of the more important facts relating to the cattle trade and allied industries of certain of the States lying east of the Mississippi River. In collecting, tabulating, and condensing when necessary, the information relating to the cattle trade, dairy interests, &c., of the States named above, one purpose, but not the paramount one, perhaps, has been to show the character of the diseases afflicting the cattle of those States, and the extent to which they prevailed, and also to give an account of the measures taken, if any, to prevent the spread of contagious and of infectious diseases of animals in or from those States. It has not been deemed advisable to occupy space in the following report with a detailed account of the extent to which pleuro-pneumonia has existed, or of the history of the action taken by United States and by local authorities for its suppression, since a full report of that matter will doubtless be furnished by other writers more competent than I am to make a full and accurate statement thereof.

It is to be regretted that nothing has been brought out by queries addressed to thousands of stock-owners, showing what means have been adopted by transportation or by stock-yard companies to prevent the free movement of cattle afflicted by such diseases, from State to State or from market to market. Several States and Territories have recently enacted laws for preventing the movement of cattle from infected localities in other States or Territories, or from one infected locality to any other locality within their own borders. To some extent such laws have proved inefficient, particularly as relates to the movement of cattle that were likely to spread the germ of Texas or splenic fever. For preventing the transportation of cattle from districts in which pleuropneumonia was suspected or known to have prevailed the laws have been reasonably effective.

During the last year ample proof was given that a great change had taken place in public opinion in regard to the nature and extent of the danger threatening the cattle of this country, through the continued existence of contagious or infectious disorders. Not many months ago a large number of the owners of cattle asserted, honestly no doubt, that it was their opinion that no danger from that source existed in this country. Now a very large majority of stock-owners express a conviction that due regard for their own welfare, as well as for that of all who buy or sell cattle or cattle products, requires that such protection shall at once be given as may be necessary to keep their herds free from infection.

Answers made by intelligent and enterprising farmers and breeders, which answers cover every county, and almost every township in the States under consideration, show that with the exception of those caused by Texas or splenic fever, losses of cattle from diseases are so very rare as to be a comparatively unimportant tax upon the cattle industry, as a whole. Actinomycosis, locally called lump-jaw, big-jaw, big-head, and snake-bite, seems to be more widely prevalent than any other one malady. Anthrax and abortion have caused some losses, but it does not appear that these have increased more rapidly than the total supply of cattle has grown. The entire loss from the disorders named forms a comparatively small percentage of the whole supply of cattle. Upon the whole, there can be no doubt that if the few localities in which dangerous contagious diseases exist can be properly managed, the produc tion of beef, milk, butter, and cheese will continue to be the most uniformly and generally profitable of all legitimate farming operations.

Although it has long been acknowledged that the raising of live stock is more profitable than the growing of grain or other farm products, the production of beef, milk, butter, and cheese has not increased as rapidly as the population of this country, as a whole, nor of the States represented in the following report. The rate of increase of cattle is limited, but the supply of cattle in the United States might be enlarged much more rapidly than it has been, doubtless to the great advantage of all concerned, if people could be induced to use such means as are at their command to accomplish that purpose.

ALABAMA.

Alabama offers to the stock-grower many advantages. Of the lands within the borders of that State four-fifths are uncultivated, and on these lands grow many varieties of grasses and forage plants capable of affording abundant sustenance to domesticated animals. Some of those grasses are scarcely surpassed by any others in value as food for cattle. Three large rivers and innumerable smaller streams furnish a copious supply of pure, clear water that never fails. The climate is mild and without those extremes of temperature that make stock-growing often unpleasant, and reduce the profits thereof, in other regions. The domestic animals of Alabama have been quite generally exempt from epidemic diseases, and the outlay necessary for proper caring for cattle and other live stock in that State is very small; yet stock growing received comparatively little attention from owners of lands in Alabama, until within a few years. Now, however, considerable interest is shown in the work of improving the quality of the live stock within the State. For that purpose a considerable number of purely bred animals of great value have been taken to Alabama. Bulls of high breeding have been imported from the North to increase the value of the cattle, especial attention having been given to the work of improving the butter-making and milk-producing capacity of the stock. Jersey cattle have been imported in greater numbers than have any other purely-bred animals. This work of improvement would doubtless have been carried ou more rapidly had not the effects of war retarded the movement, which now promises to go on at a constantly accelerating rate, until the cattle of this State shall rank as at least equal, if not superior, to those of any other State in the Union, in value, as butter producers. It is possible that the improvement of stock would go on more rapidly still if it were

not that cattle taken from places north of Alabama to that State are quite likely to suffer from a malady known by several names, that most generally recognized being "acclimating fever." A gentleman writing from a neighboring State suggests another cause that may retard the development of the cattle interests of Alabama, when he says: "We never have diseases of any kind among our cattle, and are a little reluctant now to introduce cattle from abroad for fear we will get diseases also."

GRAZING LANDS.

Of 33,035,600 acres of land in Alabama, some 18,855,334 are included in farms. Of the farms only 6,375,706 acres were shown by the census of 1880 to be in cultivation, and 241,508 acres of those farms were in permanent pastures, permanent meadows, or orchards and vineyards. Of the farms 72,215 were occupied by their owners; 22,888 were let for money rental; and 40,761 were worked for a share of the produce. There were within the State 10,430,727 acres of unimproved woodland and forest, and 2,048,901 acres were unimproved or abandoned "old fields," not producing wood. The United States Government still held 2,548,950 acres which, excepting mineral reservations, were open to entry under the provisions of the homestead and other land laws of the country. Railroad companies then held about 1,500,000 acres of land, much of it of good quality for grazing or for cultivation. As the laws of Alabama do not, except in a few limited districts, require owners of live stock to confine their animals, it will be seen that there are in that State some 26,500,000 acres of land open to and available for grazing purposes.

The general configuration of the State is described as being an undulating plain, the mean elevation of which above the sea is not far from 600 feet. In the northern and eastern parts the surface rises above that altitude, and in the south and west sinks below it. The area having a general elevation of more than 600 feet is contained within the segment of a circle having Chattanooga for its center, with its arc extended from Columbus, on the eastern line of the State, to the western boundary of Alabama. In the northeastern part of this region appears the Appalachian range of mountains, the axis thereof lying from northeast to southwest. The Commissioner of Agriculture of Georgia says in regard to this region:

There is thus a general slope away from this elevated region toward all points of the compass, from southeast around to northwest. The mountains of the State rest upon this high land, and often reach an elevation above it of 1,200 or 1,500 feet, or 2,000 to 2,500 feet above sea-level.

The mountains of Georgia are in the eastern part of the northeastern quarter. Some of the highest lands in the State are southeast of the valley of the Coosa; there the mountains rise in some places into rugged and sharp crests. To the west and northwest of the Coosa the mountain tops frequently form broad table-lands, separated by long and narrow valleys. On these table-lands the grazing is often good. Northward from the Tennessee such table-lands are cut by erosion into detached peaks, the tops of which are level, or nearly level, and the intervening valleys are narrow and tortuous. In that part of the State lying south of the thirty-third degree of north latitude there are no mountains. The country slopes gently toward the Gulf, a broad and fertile plain, the lower part of which is nearly level. In the counties of Mobile and Baldwin the surface descends almost to the level of the sea, ending in salt marshes.

12508 A I---22

« ZurückWeiter »