The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-12-05

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The committee ON the prevention
| of tuberculosis has issued an inter
esting report of the losses sustained
| as result of condemnation of stock
| infected by tuberculosis. According
TO this report there are approximate
| ly IL 900 carcasseS of beef and $4,000
( carcasses of hogs condemned each
on account of tuberculosis. 1t would
not be far from to estimate the loss
| on these carcaSseS at present prices
as $40 each on the beef and $!2
| each on the pork, according to the
United States Department OF Agricul-
ture. This is net annual loss from
the condemnation OF carcasses of
$4,000 for beef and $7SO,0OO for
pork, or a total of $1,22O,OO0. Thi:
statement, however, does not include
the 142,105 parts of hog carcasses
which it was necessary last year to
condemn for the same cause, and the
approximate value of which cannot
be ascertained
In addition to the carcasses con-
demned by federal inspectors, there
are considerable number condemned
by State and municipal inspectors.
These are mostly carcasses of dairy
cattle killed in the work of suppress
ing tuberculosis, or of cows no longer
profitable in the dairy which are sent
for slaughter to the smaller abattoirs.
The aggregate number of these has
not been ascertained, but in some
years it has amounted to several
thousand carcasses.
The losses to the dairy industry
from tuberculosis have been enOrm-
GUS from decrease in milk and depre-
citation and death of animals. The
dairy herds have been affected to a
greater extent than any others. ana
the infection as rule spread through
the cows of herd until so to so per
cent, of the animals were affected.
In the early stages of the disease the
product of the cows is not visfbly
lessened, but as the tubercular pro-
cess develops the animals often be-
come feverish, their milk is diminish
ed in quantity, and they lose flesh
and are no longer profitable. The
losses from shrinkage of the milk
and from the destruction of so many
cows must be tremendous, but it has
never been definitely determined.
An extremely serious phase of this
subject is the effect of the disease in
destroying valuable families of cat.
tie and blood lines which can never |
be renewed In most of the breeds
there are certain families or strains |
Of blood which have been developed |
by long and skilful selection, and |
which represent the one marked sue
cess in a breeders life. The repre-
sentative animals of such a strain
are generally few in number, andmay
be in one herd. Under such circun. !
stances the introduction of tubercu-
Osis has often meant the humiliation
Of the strain and the plotting out of
AO 0NAAOV CAASAto VI q lAAVNAuC VI
toll and study. Such losses can
scarcely be measured in dollars and
cents, but they are no less real an
10 less serious as an obstacle to the
development of the cattle industry.
The influence upon export trade OF
regulations relative to tuberculosis
will probably become more and more
Breeding and dairy cat
lie for Canada and Argentina must
low be tested and found free from
he disease before they will be ad.
nitted. The tendency everywhere Is
o make more stringent regulations,
md any considerable increase in the
of the disease would have
IN unfavorable effect upon the sale Of
i've animals, meats, and dairy pro-
lucts, even if burdensome regula-
ions were not imposed To meet
successfully the increasing compe.
ition in the markets of the world It
8 important to have products which
t can be shown are produced from
Healthy animals and which do not
AIRY danger of any kind to the
lealth Of the consumer.