DISEASE IN CATTLE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 103, 1 April 1929, Page 5

DISEASE IN CATTLE.

COMBATING TUBERCULOSIS. SEARCH FOR RELIABLE TEST, The search for a practicable and reliable test for tuberculosis in cattle has for some years occupied the attention of the Tuberculin Committee of the British Medical Research Council. The ophthalmic test, which is the simplest of all, is, in the opinion of most veterinary surgeons, unreliable. ’ Up to 1925 the test usually employed was the subcutaneous test. It was found, however, that unless it was carried out with the precision of a scientific experiment it was subject to many fallacies and difficulties of interpretation. In their search for a test suitable under ordinary conditions of practice the committee accordingly devised a modification of the intradermal test, reports the Farmer and Stockbreeder. This involves two separate injections—a sensitising dose and a “reacting” does—and is now usually known as the double intradermal test. It was soon found that the test was being increasingly used by veterinary surgeons throughout the country for the testing of graded herds, and that both owners and veterinary surgeons accepted it as simpler and more satisfactory than the subcutaneous test. In 1927 the committee appointed two of 'their members, Professor J. B. Buxton, director of the Cambridge Institute of Animal Pathology and Dr. A. S. MacNalty, secretary of the Committee, to investigate a.nd report upon the experiences of veterinary surgeons with the test.

As a resiult of the inquiries, the committee lias concluded that the double intradermal test is found to be a reliable test for the detection of tuberculosis in cattle. This view has been confirmed by the results of postmortem examination of tested animals. For instance, out of 835 animals which had shown no reaction to the subcutaneous test, 122 reacted to the double intradermal test. Of these post-mortems were held on 94, the animals proving tuberculosis in each case.

The test is regarded ‘3s simple, clean, and easily performed under farm conditions. It does not require keeping the animals indoors; and has little or no effect on the milk yield. Pregnant cows, and even young stock three months old or less, can be tested by the method without risk.

There are, however, a certain percentage of doubtful reactions, but with a fuller knowledge of the method it is believed that the number of these will become insignicant. There are, moreover, cases of chronic advanced tuberculosis which will not react to any form of _ tuberculin test. In these, however, it should be readily possible, the committee states, to detect the presence of the disease by ordinary physical examination and by examining the milk and discharges for tubercle bacilli. The committee consider that the use of ophthalmic and other subsidiary tests in conjunction with the double intradermal test should bo left to the discretion of the veterinary surgeon. NEW ZEALAND FROZEN MEAT. Tho New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board reports tho following shipments of frozen meat from New Zealand:—

The • New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board has received the following cable from its London office, dated 28th March, avising Smithfield delivered prices averaged for week ending that date as follows. Prices for the two previous weeks are shown in .parentheses:—New Zealand wethers and maidens: quality, selected brands 561bss and under 7d (fd, 7d); 57-64, 6id (61cl, 6|d) ; 65-72, 5Jd (5Jd, 5Jd); other brands, 56-under 6|d (6Jd, 6J); 57-64, 6Jd (6Jd, 6id); 65-72, 5d (sd, 5Jd). New Zealand ewes: 64-un-der 43d (43d, 43d). New Zealand lambs: Canterbury quality, 36-under, 9Jd (9id, 9id) ; 37-42, B|d (B|d, 83d) : 43-50, Bid (83d, Bjsd); seconds, 83'd (88d, 85d); selected brands. 36-under, 9Jd (Did, 9id); 37-42, B§d (B|d, SJd). Other brands, first quality, 36-under, 9d (9d, 9d); 37-42, 81 (81d, Bjjd-);-sec-ond quality, 30-32 average 83d (83d, B§d). Australian larhbs: Victorian, first quality 36-under, 83d (Bid, 8Jd); 37-42, 73d (73d, 7Jd). Argentine lambs: First quality. 36-under, 73d (73d, 73d); 37-42, 7d (7id, 7Jd). New Zealand beef: Ox fores, Not quoted. Ox hinds, not quoted ( —, sd). Cow fores, not 1 quoted ; hinds, not quoted. Argentine chilled beef: Ox fores, 4Jd (4§d, 4id); hinds 6£d (63d, 6{d). Argentine frozen beef:, Ox fores, not quoted; hinds, not quoted. New Zealand Frozen Pork: Porkers, 60-801bs.' BJd (B}d, 81d); 81-991b5., 8!d (BJd, 8Jd); 100-1201b5., 8d (7fd, 73d); baconers, 121-1801bs., BJd (Bd, 7|d). Lamb market: Better enquiry. Mutton Market:. Quiet, slow demand. New Zealand porker pigs: Market is steady, but warm weather decreasing consumption. New Zealand baconer pigs: Good enquiry owing to firm bacon market.

Beef. Mutton. Lamb. Pork. Qrs. Cs. Cs. Cs. Oct., 1923— London 1,915 77.008 95,999 12,055 Vancouver 800 — — ( Nov., 1928— London 111 44,272 46,600 5,584 W.C.U.K. 117 2,000 2,754 3,931 Halifax 864 — — — New York 12,482 — — — Vancouver 1,000 — 4 — Dec., 1928— London 2,231 66,737 213,318 6,466 W C.U.K. 151 3,000 12,681 6,145 Halifax 76 — — — Now York 1,136 — — — Vancouver 600 — — — Jan., 1929 — London 52 106,720 687,432 10,739 W.C.U.K. 443 4,732 77,487 6,874 New York 4,077 250 14,437 — Halifax 707 — — — Vancouver 600 — — — Cristobal 794 — — — San Francisco 100 — 2 — Feb., 1929— London — 142,313 593,005 8,844 S’thampton — 6,882 31,515 — W.C.U.K. — 12,981 55,781 4,353 Vancouver 600 — — — San Francisco — 125 — — London — 140,352 345,179 3,876 S’thampton 9,698 26,255 — W.C.U.K. — 20,200 94,031 5,630 Mar., 1-15— Halifax 1,257 — 8 — New York 7,921 — 30,072 — Vancouver 200 — — — Cristobal 1,374 — — — Boston — — 9 — SUMMARY. Total Got. 1, 1928, to Mar. j.o, 1928 — London 4,309 577,4021,981,533 47,564 S’thampton — 16,580 57,770 — W.C.U.K. 711 42,913 242,734 36,933 Halifax 2,904 — 8 — New York 25,616 250 44,509 — Vancouver 3,800 — 4 — Cristobal 2,168 — — — Boston — — 9 — San Francisco 100 125 2 — Total 39,608 637,270 2,326,569 74,497 Total for lamo period last year, viz.. 1st Oct. 1927, to 15th Mar., 1928— London 62,592 523,389 1,951,022 30,103 W.C.U.K. 10,564 39,635 262,143 24,706 Halifax 1,047 — ■ — Now York 7,568 1,005 2,500 — Vancouver 1,040 2,400 700 — Port Said 3,899 — — — Total 76,710 666,429 2,216,365 54,809