ENTOMOLOGY

CHAPTER XXIIILice Which Affect Domestic AnimalsPart 1.Cattle Lice and Their ControllG. 'R. La'Tn8on, Jr .. Nearly every species of animal bearing hair or feathers is subject tothe attack of from one to a dozen species of lice. A given species doesnot infest all kinds of animals, but is confined to certain related kinds.Lice are divided into two cardinal groups, according to their methodof feeding. One order, the Mallophaga, includes biting lice like thebird lice and the small red lice on dairy animals, which feed on the dryskin, hair or feathers, but do not suck the blood. The other order, theSiphunculata, the sucking lice, fatten themselves by sucking the animal'sblood. These of course are the most annoying, injurious, and dangerous.Some of the sucking lice, under certain conditions, may transmit fataldiseases, but none of the cattle lice are known "to do this. The presentlecture deals only with the species which infest dairy and beef cattle.The place where stock is kept has a part in the degree of infestation,for cows that are placed near other badly infested cows have a greateropportunity for becoming lousy than those that are stabled with cattlethat are comparatively free from lice. Where lice have occurred yearafter year, there is a greater danger of infestation than where the stableshave been kept clean, well ventilated, and well lighted. The lice cannotmaintain life for any ex'tended period of time away from the cows. Ifthe stables are kept clean, well lighted, and ventilated there is somewhatless danger of infestation.Too much stress, however, has been placed upon the condition ofbedding and stables and not enough upon the. condition of the stock, forit is doubtful if any cow is ever entirely free from lice for the whole year,even where the stables are kept scrupulously clean and well managed.Careful examination of the infested herd will show that there is considerabledifference in the number of lice on different cows; some are very1 This lecture was presented November 11, 1918. It is based primarily upon conditionsin dairy herds, and therefore all of the recommendations may not be applicableto range condltions.-W. D. Pierce.330