Now that farmers are thinking more about hog raising in North Carolina, it will not be surprising to find that the state is soon raising its entire pork supply with some to sell, thinks Dr. F.D. Owen, in charge of hog cholera eradication for the Federal and State Department of Agriculture. Dr. Owen makes this reservation however, that any man who goes into hog production with the thought of it being very easy is destined to a rude awakening. There are a number of diseases and conditions affecting this branch of farming which will cause disaster instead of profits if the grower is not careful.
Of these diseases, cholera is the most prevalent. Dr. Owen finds that on the whole, the North Carolina farmer has been fortunate in that this is about the only contagious disease which has gained any great foothold and even with it, if the grower will use ordinary precautions and will maintain an immunized herd, he need have no great fear for his herds.
Dr. Owens states that cholera will kill about 85 per cent of the hogs in every herd that it reaches if the herd has not been properly vaccinated. If the animals have been treated with anti-cholera serum and virus administered by a competent man, the losses from the disease will be slight, probably not over one-half of one per cent. Even this light loss is due to some hogs having such a susceptibility to the disease that the vaccination will not protect, but this is about five hogs out of every 5,000.
Growers must remember, cautions Dr. Owens, that this treatment is purely protective and will not cure. The serum is usually worthless when given to hogs that have been sick for any length of time. Sometimes it will save the animals if given when they have been sick only a few hours, but the only proper time to treat a hog is before he gets sick.
Dr. Owen states that the federal and government workers are endeavoring to have hog growers protect their stock by permanently immunizing their breeding animals so that all future farrowings will be born with an immunity of from four to six weeks. If the pigs are then treated before weaning, they will have protection up until they reach the age of from eight to 12 months. Those saved for breeding purposes must again be immunized when from 100 to 150 pounds weight and this should give permanent protection.
The serum used for this purpose is sold at cost by the State Department of Agriculture and full information can be secured about protecting hogs against this costly disease by writing either Dr. Owen or Mr. William Morre, State Veterinarian, at Raleigh.
From the front page of The Alamance Gleaner, Graham, N.C., March 17, 1923. The original article alternates the spelling of hog cholera as Owen and Owens. I don’t know which is correct.
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