<^ :

REPORT

OF THE

Montana State Live Stock Sani- tary Board and State Veterinarian

FOR YEARS

mt-1912

REPORT

OF THE

Montana State Live Stock Sani- tary Board and State Veterinarian

FOR YEARS

m\-m2

MONTANA LIVESTOCK SANITARY BOARD.

T. C. Power, President, Helena, Mont.

H. H. Sappington, Vice-President, Sappington, Mont.

Dr. D. J. Donohue, Member, Glendive, Mont.

Dr. M. E. Knowles, Secretary, Helena, Mont.

CHIEF DEPUTY STATE VETERINARIAN.

Dr. E. D. Nash, Helena, Mont.

SPECIAL DEPUTY STATE VETERINARIANS.

Dr. A. H. Cheney, Miles City, Mont. Dr. A. J. DuFrene, Glendive, Mont. Dr. Z. C. Boyd, Chinook, Mont. Dr. C. H. Stevens, Missoula, Mont. Dr. J. C. Boyd, Helena, Mont. Dr. S. P. Griesemer, Helena, Mont. Dr. O. J. Johnson, Helena, Mont.

RESIDENT DEPUTY STATE VETERINARIANS.

Dr. A. D. Knowles, Livingston, Mont. Dr. G. E. Thomas, Billings, Mont. Dr. F. S. Gray, Red Lodge, Mont. Dr. F. T. Hull, Conrad, Mont. . Dr. C. F. Leslie, Kalispell, Mont. Dr. L. A. Nutting, Great Falls, Mont. Dr. Howard Welch, Bozeman, Mont. Dr. W. J. Taylor, Bozeman, Mont. Dr. O. L. DeVore.Bozeman, Mont. Dr. Geo. H. Stevenson, Butte, Mont. Dr. L. P. Sharp, Moore, Mont. Dr. W. J. Butler, Miles City, Mont. Dr. C. J. Willgans, Miles City, Mont. Dr. J. R. "Ward, Missoula, Mont. Dr. W. C. Orr, Dillon, Mont. Dr. A. C. Morrow, Dillon, Mont.

CHEMIST AND BACTERIOLOGIST.

Dr. Emil Starz, Helena, Mont.

W. K. Converse, Chief Clerk. T. F. Myers, Stenographer.

Report*

December i, 1912.

Honorable Edwin L. Norris,

Governor of the State of Montana, Helena, Montana. Sir:

We herewith submit report of the State Veterinarian cover- ing the work of this department, which we commend to your earnest consideration.

The Board, during- the past year, found it necessary to have three meetings, at which various matters concerning livestock industry were discussed. The unfortunate death of our most esteemed president, Dr. William Treacy, was a severe blow to our organization, as well as a loss to the entire state. His death brought about the selection of a new president of the State Board of Health, who, by action of law, is made a mem- ber of this Board. We are fortunate in having selected for this position, Dr. D. J. Donohue, of Glendive, who has been most active in his consideration of the various matters con- cerning the Sanitary Board.

We, as a Board, respectfully recommend to the incoming Legislature, through you, the establishment of a hog cholera serum laboratory, for the very excellent reason that this dis- ease is on the increase in Montana. We believe, as is stated in the Veterinarian's report, that every encouragement possible should be offered to this industry, which is destined, in the near future, to become one of our most important.

Hog cholera serum is a certain preventive of this devastating and fatal disease. Its general employment would make the swine industry as safe and reliable as that of horses, cattle or sheep.

We, also, recommend, through you, to the incoming Legis- lature, sufficient appropriation to make partial payment for the slaughter of animals suffering from dangerously contagious and necessarily fatal diseases, such as tuberculosis in cattle; dourine and glanders in horses. We particularly recommend, since the Government has set the example of compensating

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owners of horses suffering from dourine, that an adequate appropriation be made covering- slaughter on this account. Respectfully submitted,

T. C. POWER, Chairman, Livestock Sanitary Board.

Helena, Montana, December i, 1912. To the Honorable Livesto-ck Sanitary Board,

Helena, Montana. Gentlemen :

I have the 'honor to herewith present report of this office covering the past two years.

Devastating, communicable, animal disease is the most in- imical of all agents to the welfare of agriculture. The most intelligent nations are those giving closest and most careful attention to preservation of animal health. Sanitaiy laws of Montana, although not perfect, have enabled the Sanitary Board to adequately protect animal health within the bound- aries of this State, and it is beyond question of doubt that Montana is the freest of any state in the Union from com- municable animal disease.

The sub-joined tables give in detail the vast amount of work accomplished by this Department.

Dourine.

Unfortunately, dourine, (maladie du coit), the so-called French venereal disease of solipeds, was discovered in the Eastern part of our State late in the summer by Deputy Veteri- narian Cheney, who, I must say in all fairness, has suspected the existence of this disease in Dawson and Custer Counties during the past two years. One case in particular, Dr. Cheney suspected, was examined by several federal experts ; however, the clinical picture was not sufficient to justify diagnosis, upon which we would be enabled to determine positive existence of this disease ; until the Bureau of Animal Industry kindly negotiated the compliment-fixation test, (which is positive and reliable.) So far, (jointly with federal authorities-) we have destroyed nineteen horses ; and have, at the present time, sev- eral suspects in quarantine. In conjunction with Eastern Montana Horse Growers' Protective Association, now, and for some time past, have had Mr. H. C. Farnum (who is com- pensated by the Eastern Montana Horse Growers' Protective

Association) ride the scheduled district covered by following lines, for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the Sani- tary Board Order regarding taking up of range stallions in this district is being complied with :

"Helena, Montana, October 27, 1912. To Whom It May Concern :

At a meeting in Miles City, on Monday, October 15, 1912, between the Eastern Montana Horse Growers' Protective As- sociation and the State Livestock Sanitary Board, the following scheduled district was decided upon in which all range stallions must be gathered on or before December 1, 1912, and all such range stallions must be kept off the below described district, as, otherwise, they will be castrated by the deputy veterinari- ans operating in this locality.

'Beginning at the point of crossing the Montana-Dakota Line, in Custer County, by the Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railway; thence westerly along the Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railway to Terry, in Custer County ; thence in a line directly north to .the Yellowstone River ; then North- easterly, following the Yellowstone River to Bad Route Creek ; thence up Bad Route Creek to the top of the divide between the Yellowstone River and Redwater; thence northeasterly along the northern slope of this divide to the head of Fox Creek ; thence directly easterly, following Fox Creek to the Yellowstone River; thence northerly again, follow the Yel- lowstone River to the point of crossing the Dakota Line ; thence directly, southerly along the Dakota Line to the original point of starting, at the crossing of the Montana-Dakota Line by the Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railway.'

Two range riders are to be supplied by the Eastern Montana Horse Growers' Protective Association, and who will be under the joint direction of federal and deputy veterinarians operating in the above described district.

M. E. KNOWLES,

State Veterinarian. Secretary, Livestock Sanitary Board."

By request of our Sanitary Board, the Bureau of Animal Industry was requested, on discovery of this disease, to co- operate with us in its eradication. For this purpose, Federal Veterinarians Miller and Davidson were ordered to the Eastern end of our State, where, in conjunction with Doctors Cheney and DuFrene, a thorough canvass was made, covering as much territory as was possible during this year. Early in the breed- ing season of 1913, the territory is again to be covered by co- operation.

We hope, through co-operation of the Bureau of Animal

Industry, together with the valuable aid of the Eastern Mon- tana Horse Growers' Protective Association, to stamp out this disease within a reasonable time. How long 'dourine has ex- isted in Montana is problematical ; presumably, however, for the past ifive or six years ; possibly longer ; but its clinical aspect is so uncertain and confused with so-called "Swamp fever" that it escapes detection by owners as well as veterin- arians. Since the Federal Government is compensating, to a limited degree, owners of horses suffering from this disease slaughtered, it would seem the State should be urged to make sufficient appropriation to cover this compensation herself, without asking outside aid in this respect.

Compensation Recommendation.

I respectfully recommend to your most Honorable Board, that you adopt appropriate resolutions to be presented to our incoming Legislature covering this matter, as well as com- pensation for glandered horses and tubercular cattle, slaugh- tered under supervision of the State. I respectfully submit that the slaughter of cattle among some owners in the State; where 50 per cent and, in some cases, more, were discovered diseased and slaughtered ; is a frightful burden on the indi- vidual, and has, in a number of instances, practically impover- ished them. A large number of states having sanitary laws have compensation provisions ; ranging from one to two-thirds actual value of the animal. This, you can see readily, is a matter of good public policy. It is to be hoped, most sincerely, that our incoming Legislature will look upon the matter in this regard, and make appropriations covering slaughter of all animals suffering from incurable diseases, and, especially, those diseases which are inimical or transmissible to mankind in any manner.

Blackleg Vaccine Distributed.

We have distributed 20,085 doses of blackleg vaccine in 191 1 ; 24,580 'doses in 1912 ; a slight increase over 'last year's distribution ; an indication that cattle breeding is on the in- crease among our cattlemen. In all probablity, it will be most decidedly on the increase during years to come, under more intensive agricultural conditions.

Hog Cholera Serum.

Our State should certainly provide for the manufacture of hog cholera vaccine, if for no other reason than to encourage

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the swine-growing industry in this State, where the possibili- ties for swine production of the highest possible quality and type is so promising; moreover, the State owes it to her agri- cultural interests to protect this rapidly growing industry from devastating inroads of this 'disease, (hog cholera) which, I regret to announce, has been very prevalent throughout the State during the past year. With a comparatively small ap- propriation, the Sanitary Board could establish a laboratory at Helena, manufacture potent anti-toxin, and distribute -to our citizens at actual cost, which, I am sure, they would gladly pay.

Glanders. There is a gratifying decrease in the number of cases of glanders encountered this year, as against last. This is due to the fact that in one instance, in the Eastern part of the State, a certain contractor harbored the disease among his animals for a number of years surreptitiously, having main- tained them under such bad conditions that there was a large percentage of infections. With the Board regulations now regarding the mallein testing of horses, if the Legislature should see fit to make sufficient appropriation, it is quite within a possibility for us to stamp glanders out of Montana entirely within the next very few years.

Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis situation in Montana at present is, fortunately, not a serious one, as the sub-joined tables show; only a few localities in which the disease exists to any great extent. As soon as it is possible for us to compensate the owners of such cattle, we will rapidly rid ourselves of this disease.

The happy result of our tuberculin test law and dairy in- spection as shown by our Secretary of the State Board of Health is certainly most ^gratifying, and convincing evidence of the necessity for continuing this most humanitarian work; the saving of one hundred eighty-seven lives during a period of two vears ; certainly is an indication of the possibilities in store through the careful enforcement of this law.

Epizootic Abortion.

Epizootic abortion has existed in a number of localities during the past two years. All those reporting this condition have been furnished with the Board's circular and all obtain- able advice. Am pleased to report that those who have fol-

lowed the Board's direction assiduously 'have had no difficulty in stamping this pest out of their herds.

Swamp Fever.

This baffling disease is existing- to a relatively large extent in various localities in the State, and is almost invariably fatal. This malady is due to a filterable virus ; therefore, its origin is difficult to determine ; and, until such time as the origin of the disease may be positively determined, we will be absolutely in the dark as to its prevention.

I desire to here thank the Board for its uniformly courteous treatment and valuable advice furnished on numerous occa- sions. I further desire to compliment the Board on having such a number of -capable, intelligent, self-sacrificing deputies. The work of your deputy veterinarians during the past two years has been of a most splendid character, painstaking, ac- curate and careful. It would seem impossible to select a more competent corps of deputy veterinarions than the Board now possesses. Much work has been accomplished by all of your deputies at great personal sacrifice, and I take this occasion to most sincerely thank the various deputies throughout the State for their courteous attention and assiduous labor in re- pressing animal disease.

I respectfully submit, herewith, a letter from a mother re- garding the importance of dairy food and dairy milk, particu- larly from the viewpoint of the mother. Regard it sufficiently interesting to make a part of this report.

"Helena, Montana, December i, 1912. Dh M. E. Kjnowles, State Veterinarian, Helena, Montana. Dear Sir:

The subject of "Pure Food" is very vast, interesting and important; and, before going further with this paper, I wish to emphasize the importance and necessity of enforcing the laws so wisely and beneficially adopted to prevent the un- scrupulous and dishonest dealer and purveyor from forcing all sorts of impure. and low grade articles of food on the innocent and unsuspecting customer.

"Pure Food" embraces all articles of diet and other things intended for our use in sustaining and nourishing the human body. One of the chief and most important articles of food is milk, sterilized and pasteurized, which is deservedly re- garded as a common and absolute necessity for every member

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of the human family of all countries, races, climes, ages and social conditions. In domestic life, it is a great factor and of incalculable importance to the housewife and mother; and it is from the latter's standpoint, especially, that I desire to lay stress on milk as an article of food.

A [ilk manifests its great and invaluable usefulness at the earliest independent human existence; hence, we can readily see how much depends on its purity and standard of quality. We o'ften see infants, their little bodies rounded and well nourished; little, round, rosy -cheeks ; eyes bright and dancing; and general conditions denoting that of health, and, as we observe them, we reach, at once, the conclusion that their mother nourishes them with good rich milk. On the other hand, when vou meet with infants whose complexions are sal- low ; skin drawn or wrinkled ; eyes dim, somewhat emaciated ; lips and nails bluish, and, in place of the smile, a sickly and woebegone look on its thin little face ; you will at once at- tribute the condition, (and rightly so) to the milk which the child imbibes from its mother, that it is impure and below grade.

In justice to and for the benefit of every child, milk should constitute its main article of diet until it has reached the age of three or four years ; and this brings me to the consideration of pure milk necessary for the further development of the child, whether as artificial food for the infant, or proper diet for early childhood. In this connection. I wish to say it is not my intention, nor do I feel that it is the province of this humble paper to enter into graphic description of the sanitary conditions and processes necessary for pure milk, from the time the milker has prepared himself for his task until the article is delivered to the consumer, which would include :

Cleanliness and health of cows.

Cleanliness of stable ; and air.

Cleanliness of milk house.

Cleanliness of milkers.

Scalding of utensils.

Wiping udders, and proper removal of milk.

These concern our efficient Health Boards and Milk Com- missions, who, in conscientious execution of their duties, must see to it that the milk we feed our children shall be up to standard requirements, viz., not more than S6y2 per cent of watery fluids, and 13^ per cent of solids, of which 4^2 per cent must be butter fat. I cannot, here, attempt to consider the bac- teriology of milk, but will say that where poisons kill a hundred, bacteria from milk of tubercular cows kill ten thousand ; and, now, I will say, in conclusion, that it is an object of paramount importance to every mother and indispensable to the welfare of every child that it be fed pure, wholesome and unadulterated milk, and which will, in my humble opinion, result in the rearing of strong, healthy and independent American men and

women, who will, even more so than we, carry on the fight for "Pure Milk" and "Pure Food".

Very truly yours,

MRS. JEAN L. M. FISH."

Respectfully submitted.

M. E. KNOWLES, State Veterinarian. Secretary, Livestock Sanitary Board.

■II-

GLANDERS— 1911.

Reacting Horses Mallein Tested o	Destroyed Condemned on Clinical Examination. . . .
Beaverhead	190 51 166 589 172 688 189 1 90 93 6 133 5 92 1 191 6 2 1 58 8 56 34	4 17 88 14 1 'i 8 'i 2 ii 47	' 'i 2 9 20 1 11 i ' '6 4 8 62 r.
Carbon	1
Cascade
Chouteau	6
Custer ]	26
	08
Fergus	25
Flathead
Gallatin	1
Granite
Jefferson
Lewis and Clark
	1
Missoula
Musselshell	1
Park	8
Ravalli
Rosebud
Sweet Grass .-.	1
Teton	8
Valley	4
Yellowstone	19
Totals 3	822 1	09

Percentage of reactors to Mallein test, 3.9.

Horses examined for Health Certificate 11,434

Horses clinically examined for contagious diseases and found free... 459

Horses Mallein tested 3,822

Horses condemned for glanders on clinical evidence 62

Total number horses examined 15,777

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GLANDERS— 1912.

COUNTY.	H rw M >— r+ffi	la! p CD 3	0 3"	X 3 3 0 — 3	0 03 ►1 O
	33 48 L228 30 1067 262 105 116 210 2 29 30 31 124 6 1 32 41 142 133 447 >117	12 ""20 26 . ._. i . . . 1 ... 15 1 1	1 •'i io 13 8 '3 21 2 "i '4	i ' 4 "i ' 'i 2 7 2	1
Blaine	1
Cascade ]	1
	4
Custer i I	10
	11
Fergus	8
Hill
Lewis and Clark Madison	3
Missoula
Musselshell	22
Park	2
Ravalli
Rosebud
Sanders
Sweet Grass Teton	3
Vallev	7
	6
Totals 1 i 1	75	64	18	79

Percentage of reactors to Mallein test, 1.4.

Horses examined for Health Certificate 3,952

Horses clinically examined for contagious diseases and found free. . 420

Horses Mallein tested 6,117

Horses condemned for Glanders on clinical evidence 18

Total number examined 10,507

DOURINE.

Horses examined for Dourine 575

Number complement-fixation tested 108

Number reacting 19

Number destroyed 18

13-

TUBERCULOSIS— 1 9 11.

COUNTY.	5'		COM CO <-»■ ® ° 3 C r+O ►_, & O O Xfl i-h Sa"	n a /. 93	Op 0 1 3 0 » ft, 3 a> &
Beaverhead	1 127 | .. 889 I 30 1 531 1 281 | 213 349 | 245 | 820 24 78 | 738 87 414 506 1836 6 | . . 625	' '97 2 83 1 1 2 6 21 1 11 24 3 58 18 464 ' '37	1 '*86 2 81 1 1 1 .. 2 6 21 1 11 24 3 (*) 52 18 456 | 1 .. 37	' "46 1 66 ' *5 11 ' *6 10 1 19 10 384 ' 'is
	40
Custer	1
Deer Lodge	15
Fergus	1
Flathead	1
Gallatin	2
	1
Lewis and Clark	10
	1
Meagher	5
Missoula	14
Musselshell	2
Park	33
Ravalli	8
Silver Bow	72
Valley
	19
Totals 1	7799	829	802 1	577	225
1

Percentage of reactors to tuberculin test, 10.63.

Number cattle examined for physical Health Certificate 5,783

Number cattle tuberculin tested 7,799

Number cattle condemned for tuberculosis on physical examination.. 1

Total number cattle examined 13,583

'*1 One cow condemned on clinical evidence.

•i4-

TUBERCULOSIS— 1 912.

COUNTY.	Reacting Tuberculin Tftsfed	/. O a,	£> 3 05 O 7) p3 ■ <T>	o9 ' 0 3 af 3 CD 3 W a> Pi
Beaverhead Broadwater	171 398 39 17 225 180 | 376 7 318 L210 86 450 1 185 58 399 | 715 | 15 | 596 | 608 | L007 I 2 107 | 11 |	1 1 1 'i l 3 28 '3 2 1 60 1 4 .. (*) 9 1 34 | .. 1 (*) 9 1 2 07 | 2 15 I . . .	'i "i '3 25 *3 2 1 -59 4 1 5 17 1 9 2 03	' i . ._. ' '2 23 i :::::: • 147 3 ...... 9 8 2 191
Carbon
Custer
Dawson	1
Deer Lodge I	*
		2
Gallatin
Flathead	2
Hill	1
Jefferson	12
Lewis and Clark Lincoln	1 1
Madison I	3
	8
Park |	1
Powell |	1
Ravalli 1		L2
Silver Bow I	]
Valley
Total 1	■158 4	81 4	37	390	47

Percentage of reactors to Tuberculin test, 6.7.

Number cattle examined for Health Certificate 10,534

Number cattle Tuberculin tested 7,161

Number cattle condemned for Tuberculosis on clinical examination.. 2

(*) Condemned on clinical evidence.

17,697

Total number cattle dipped in 1912 31,286

BLACKLEG VACCINE.

Number doses Blackleg vaccine distributed in 1911 20,085

Number doses Blackleg vaccine distributed in 1912 24,580

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IMPORTATIONS.

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STATE.	1911	1912	1911	1912	1911	1912	1911	1912
Arkansas	2 1 22 1 13 105 12 206 31 2 1 ' 'io 284 56 69 1 4 380 11 12 3 2 290 1 6 3 24 215 3	' 'l3 ' '30 8C 106 26 4 .... 7 227 65 85 1 *348 6 9 11 2 225 1 1 8 72 154 30 3	6 4 140 65 342 22 897 96 9 . ... 21 965 182 415 I 1398 22 39 33 2 1239 2 39 3 154 694 15 ....	.... 83 * 210 273 13 916 83 8 .' ! .' .' 18 897 221 396 10 .... 1907 10 40 226 4 1229 5 5 49 519 347 331 16	8 2 28 ' 'ii 105 17 311 63 78 2 8 903 104 161 "47 808 30 I .... 995 ' ' g 25 9 752	5 ' *33 152 9 400 99 1 ' "3 12 1157 170 251 '653 2 128 '766 " i 61 620 10	"33 5 100 ' * 2 61 22 21 "i<j 2 5 '■'■a ' ' 2 " '4 34
California
District of Columbia. . Idaho	18
Illinois	28
Indiana
Iowa	77
	3
Kentucky
Maine Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota	69
Missouri	22
Nebraska	20
Nevada
New York
North Dakota Ohio	33 3
Oklahoma	1
Oregon	1
South Dakota	78
Texas
Utah
Washington	1
Wisconsin	39
Dominion of Canada..
Totals	1770	1529	6S04	7816	4472	4482	353	393