TUBERCULOSIS IN DAIRY STOCK

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

TUBERCULOSIS IN DAIRY STOCK

Unorthodox Opinions

At the 1938 annual meeting of theBritish Friesian Cattle Society, the subject of tuberculosis eradication in dairy herds was discussed. Lady MacHobert, the retiring president, said it was the duty of Friesian breeders to see that Friesian milk was not only of high quality, but safe. There was plenty of milk that was neither tuberculin-tested nor pasteurized, yet was, nevertheless, pure, healthy milk. .Farmers, she said, were going to much trouble and expense to rid their herds of tuberculosis as diagnosed by tests that were not quite 100 per cent, uniform or reliable. There should be more effort to see that young cattle in commercial herds were rea'red in perfectly healthy conditions. Then there would be far fewer reactors to the test. “When we know that all milk can be made safe for human consumption by pasteurizing, it would be better and less wasteful to prevent the disease than to reduce the cattle population in the endeavour to eradicate tuberculosis. Risk in Eradication. “Animals in T.T. herds are-in no way immune. Their systems have not had to fight the germs, and should tuberculosis break out they might all go down. Such a herd might, therefore, become a danger spot for a whole district. “From this point of view I am not so sure of the wisdom of the trend to establish more T.T. herds. Surely a much better way would be to inoculate the young stock and immunize the herd by means of the Spahlinger vaccine. When will it be available for our use?” Mr. C. 11. Maidment echoed Lady MacRobert’s view that the Spahlinger experiments should be tried in this country, and he thought a resolution should be sent to the Ministry. There seemed considerable reluctance on the part of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health to take any steps about the vaccine on a national basis. Lady Macßobert thought that if the vaccine were made available they would be willing to try it in their herds. She feared there was a good deal of professional jealousy which prevented its wider use. On the proposition of Mr. Arthur Barber, a resolution was adopted, no one dissenting, that the Ministry of Agriculture should be asked to expedite the application of the Spahliuger findings. Spahlinger Vaccine. More than three years ago I became interested in the Spahlinger vaccine. Some truly miraculous results were obtained with it in Northern Ireland, in trials carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture there. It has loug been a puzzle to me that no more was heard of it till I came upon the report given, above. The matter might well be investigated by our Dairy Board. The reference to uncertainty of tuberculosis tests bears out what my own inquiries here have revealed. This applies generally to humans as well as bovines. Actually, our New Zealand herds are comparatively free of this scourge, but at Home some 40 percent, of dairy stock are reported to be infected.

Attention To Implements. All implements now finished with require attention. To leave them out, or even to put them away in a shed, is not good enough. They should be eleaned and oileel. This is so, even if they are to be used again in a few weeks’ time. Used car oil is a good protective “paint” for parts requiring that, and costs little. As for the time required. that costs less than rusted parts that may otherwise require replacing. Attention to implements is not mere faddiness, it is eoundly practical work.