Report of the Montana Live Stock Sanitary Board and State Veterinary Surgeon

<^ :

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

— 4—

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

— 7—

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

— g—

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

■12-

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

—15-

IMPORTATIONS.

^2

9*

CD a

£o

o

3

W

<x> a
23

o **

H-. Ms

o

3
to

O 3

-* E.

CO &

a> a>

• o

«2

OS

** 2.

co tr
cd a>

i o

'. o

0$

£3

. i

; o

IB

3 c
CD CD

. "-J

I 0

. M»

in

3 o-

CD CD

; 0

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