TUBERCULOSIS IN STOCK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1173, 7 July 1911, Page 8

TUBERCULOSIS IN STOCK.

A VALUABLE LEAFLET.' '' ' ' ■ H. L. : Iliisjoll, of the. Wisconsin College of Agriculture,. who is one.of the foremost Bacteriologists of America, and Professor E. 0. Hastings, of the. same college, have issued a circular "On the Xature and Testing of Tuberculosis." Over sixty questions pertinoni to the most practical ..survey of this disease are considered nrn! answered. Among them are the following:—. . . . . •What is tuberculosis?—A transmissible disease caused by a specific kind of bacteria. 1 Xho organisms leave the-body of the diseased 'animal in various wavs'and enter the body of v. sjcond henltliy animal. . . What animals have tuberculosis?—AH ■warm-blooded and some cold-blooded .animals. Of the domestic, animals, cattle, Log?,: and fowls are most often affected; sheep, horses, dogs, and cats but rarely. Most of the wild animals in captivity die of .tuberculosis. ■ . Is one breed of animals more susceptible ,to tuberculosis than another?— Cattle of any - breed, beef or dairy, acquiro tuberculosis quickly and easily, when once brought in contact with diseased animals giving off tubercle bacilli. The reasons why more dairy, than beef cattle have been found to he alfected are becauso of the much greater exchange, thc\ longer period for which they are retained and the closer confinement to which they are subjected. flow is ths disease introduced into a herd?—l. I!y the purchase of diseased animals. 2. By feeding mixed factory byproduct?. such as raw, creamery. skimmilk and whey. By direct contact with nn affected animal. i What per cent, of domestic animals have tuberculosis?—lt varies widely in different countries and in different parts of the same country. From July.- 1008. to July, 1910. over 50,000 animals, largely milch cows, were examined for tuberculosis in Wisconsin and about five per cent, were found to be diseased, .. ..

What ,is the tuberculin test?—lf .a tuberculous cow has a small quantity of tuberculin introduced beneath the skin, a temporary fever will result, which can ho detected by taking the temperature of, the animal; a healthy animal shows no such fever. ... Does the use of tuberculin inju.ro animals?— Tuberculin has 110 ill effect whatever 011 healthy animals, and 110 harmful effect 011 tuberculous animals. It does not, in tho amount used in testing, have any effect. 011 the progress of tho disease in - the" animal, nor can it in any way produce the disease.. AVith many of our best herds it. has been used regularly for 10 to. 15 years with absolutely 110 injurious effects.. The ■ statements that tho test causes abortion or other ailments are without foundation. The flow of milk is not-changed to any appreciable extent, even in the case of tubercular animals. How can a diseased herd be freed from tuberculosis?— Test the wholo herd. Remove all reacting animals. Retest all suspicious animals in three months, and the" entiro herd again in one year and annually thereafter. Disinfect tho stable. How can a herd be kept free from tuberculosis—Test annually or at least every t.wo vears, and retest all suspicious cases in tlireo months. Test every animal introduced into the herd at the time _of purchase,. and again in three months. Use n farm separator or feed only skim-milk and whey that have been heated.