Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-07-19
tuberculosis Among Hogs.

1t is only in the last few years
that we hear much of tuberculosis
among hogs. 1t is increasing from
year to year, and will increase as
dairy interests develop, unless some
practical action is begun. 1t can
not begin too soon. In 1901, 1000
hogs were condemned IN Chicago
stocksyards because!of tuberculosis.
In 1904 the number reached IA, 900.
Ninety per cent of these affected
animals come from the dairy districts.
Swift & Co. report recently buying
car load Of eighty hogs, fifty-one
of which were condemned by the
government. Investigations showed
that these hogs were fed on butter
milk. One hog buyer states most
positively that he would not under
any circumstances purchase any
hogs that have been fattened on
buttermilk, unless he knows without
doubt that the cattle in that neigh
borhood are not suffering from any
form OF tuberculosis.
Two facts seem to be very clearly
established: First, that hogs are
quite as subject to tuberculosis as
cattle; second, that the infection takes
place from feeding the hogs on milk
which comes from tuberculous cattle.
This brings up again the old ques-
ton of bovine tuberculosis, and.
requires us to repeat what we have
said over and over again in years
past: tuberculosis in cattle is a
stable disease. The older the coun-
try, the longer time the COWS are
kept in the stable, the greater per
cent of tuberculosis the world over.
There is little or none of it on the
range except among dairy herds,
which are few and rare. There is
little Of in the corn and grass states
Of the west except among dairy herds
and among breeding herds Of any
class that are kept stabbed Il number
Of months in the year.
There is no reason why cattle kept
in the stable should be tuberculous,
provided the stables are properly
ventilated and therefore constantly
supplied with fresh air. Some years
ago the Pennsylvania station found
their herd badly affected with tuber-
culosis. They were kept in an old
fashioned Pennsylvania bank barn.
A new stable was built and properly
ventilated, and the COWS out of this
infected herd were placed alternately
with healthy cows, and these last
contracted the disease very slowly
if at all. The first thing to be done,
therefore, is for dairymen and breed
ers of fine stock to ventilate their
barns and stables so as to secure an
abundance of fresh air, and then
have their herds tested with tuber-
culin by thoroughly competent
veterinarian, find out what animals,
if any, have the disease, and then
adopt the Bang method, separating
the sick from the well, fasten off the
common cows and sell them subject
to post mortem examination. CThe
carcasses will not be condemned un.
less the disease affect the edible
parts.l Kill off at once any animals
in which the disease has disease has
become generalized, as shown by
becoming thin in flesh, with staring
coat; anu don't feed these carcasses
to hogs without first boiling them
Let the creamery-man sterilize-no'
Pasteurize, but sterilize-the mill
received from all herds be
fore it is fed to the hogs, and thi,
disease can thus in time be stamped
out. The sooner it is undertaken
the better.
: This is most insidious disease