SEPTEMBER, 1948 ]
JOHN
B.
POLDING
121
Farm stock 4 Goats.—There are two organized goat-farms in this region and in years gone by
both were infected with Brucellosis. Sometime ago, however, one farm adopted a rigid half-yearly
test-and-disposal scheme resulting in a partial eradication of infection and abortions have been
avoided for several years. This herd is fortunate in that it is self-contained and has no co-habiting
cattle, which might be a source of reinfection. In both these respects the second herd is not so
well off and, although it is irrefutable that Brucellosis is endemic in these goats, it has been keenly
disputed whether it is the cause of the abortions ; so that, specificity being in doubt, the discussion
of this farm is relegated to the non-specific section on page 189.
Region 3. Bengal and Assam
The south and south-west of this area is deltaic, water-logged and fertile, but to the north and
north-east it is bounded by vast mountain ranges. From November to February the rainfall is
negligible, from March to May it is moderate, while from June to September the rainfall, in parts,
is amongst the heaviest in the world. Vegetation is everywhere plentiful and to the north and
east forests abound.
Village cattle. As far as villages are concerned it must be at once conceded that this region
has been very poorly surveyed, mainly because of bad communications and partly because of the
absence of preparatory work by the local staff; later on account of the war. From enquiry, it seems
that village abortion occurs from time to time and in the only two places where cattle of the village
type were accessible (Shodepur gowshala and a village near Dacca) blood tests revealed positive
reactors.
Farm cattle. There are not a great many organized farms in this tract and clinical abortion
was not found amongst the indigenous farm stock of Bengal. However, although the true facts
could not be ascertained, Brucellosis is probably present in the cross-bred cattle of at least one
Calcutta dairy, whilst in past years a severe epidemic occurred in the European cattle of a dairy
concern near Darjeeling. In Assam, on the other hand, four organized farms were all found to be
infected with Brucellosis. Positive reactors occurred at the rate of 20 per cent of those tested and
the abortion rate was between 2 per cent and 6 per cent per annum. It is significant that three of
these farms carried herds of indigenous cattle and thus, for the first time, a noticeable abortion rate
is encountered in well kept zebu cows. The stock of these farms is imported from northern India,
but, in the past, European cross-breds have been in occupation.
Region 4. Berar, the Central Provinces, north and west of Akola and Hyderabad State, west of Waranga
The south-western part of this tract is situated on the Deccan plateau and the north-western
parts are hilly and forested. Much of Berar and the adjacent parts are richly cultivated. The
rainfall is less than 2 in. for three seasons of the year, but in the fourth season it is abundant.
Village stock. Clinical abortions in cattle, sheep and goats are rare in this tract and a few random
blood examinations support this statement.
Farm stock. Most of the organized farms of this region carry indigenous stock and, in nearly all,
the abortion rate is negligible; nevertheless, occasional Brucella reactors occur. There are two
exceptions, one a cross-bred herd at Secunderabad, where the abortion rate is 2.8 per cent in cows
and 0.1 per cent in buffaloes and the incidence of reactors is 8 per cent and 4 per cent respectively;
the other is an indigenous herd in northern Central Provinces, where the abortion rate in buffaloes
and cows alike was about 10 per cent during a Brucella epidemic occurring in 1940.
Region 5. The Central Provinces, east of Akola, Hyderabad State, east of Warangal, Orissa, Madras,
Mysore and southern Bombay.
This region consists of a relatively hilly and forested hinterland, incized by valleys running up
from the richly fertile coastal belt and the Carnatic plain. Most of this area is affected by the humid
climate of south India and its rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.