SKIMMED MILK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13870, 2 October 1908, Page 7

SKIMMED MILK.

DANGER OF TUBERCULOSIS. [BVTEI.EGII.VrH. — SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] . ' Wellington, Thursday. Some interesting observations on the ravages of tuberculosis are contained in the annual report of Mr. J. A. Gilruth, chief Government veterinarian. Instead of prevalence of tho - disease amongst domestic stock being lessened it is, says Mr. Gilruth, being extended by means of a preventable causethe- skimmed milk and whey tanks of dairy factories. Tho percentage of pigs found to be tubercular at abattoirs and meat freezing works' last year, exceeded that' of all the cattle. Considering (says Mr. Gilruth) that the vast majority of pigs examined! are killed for bacon-curing purposes, which means at least that they are not full-grown, but are generally about a year old, the position is the more remarkable. It is proved by the returns that certain districts are more badly affected with porcine tuberculosis than others. These districts are found to be also badly affected with bovine tuberculosis, yet this does not explain the prevalence of the form, for the two . animals, are rarely herded together. The connection is, however, apparent when it is remembered that young pigs, particularly those being fattened for bacon, are largely fed upon skimmed milk. The skimmed milk is returned from the factory, and it is seldom that the supplier receives the milk from his own cows. One or two badly tubercular cows may contaminate the whole milk of a herd, and the skimmed milk of this may in turn contaminate the .whole of a percentage of the young pigs of the owner or of another supplier to tho same factory. Calves, are without doubt also frequently infected by means of milk, skimmed and whole; The remedy, which Mr. Gilruth says he had urged repeatedly for years, consists in the -compulsory sterilisation of all skimmed milk at the factory before it is returned 't0... the supplier.