Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-12-21
TUBERCULIN TEST FOR CATTLE
G. B. Fisher Explains Provisions Of New
Law on That Subject

EDITOR CENSOR: have had so many
inquiries in regard to the law that took
effect December 1st, and the testing Of
cattle for tuberculosis, that if you viii
allow me little space / viii try to ans
wer some of them.
Some have the impression that the
cows must be tested, or they can no
longer patronize the creamery or cheese
factory. That is mistake. The only
law concerning patroniZing the factor
les is: You must not take to factory
milk testing less than three per cent.
butter fat, nor cream testing less than
eighteen per cent. butter fat, or YOU
are liable to fine and imprisonment as
provided by law.
Others think the law applies to those
retailing and wholesaling milk, but it
does not. Some of the larger cities,
La Crosse. Milwaukee and others, have
laws that milk shall be sold orly from
COWS tested for tuberculosis, but this is
purely city ordinance that YirOqua or
any city can pass, but is not a state
law. But the same three per cent. and
eighteen per cent. state law applies to
all milk dealers, even if only sell one
quart per day
Others think they cannot kill and sell
viz AAtNaN hAltNoo ttAN otAAltAA has hENAA
tested, but they can. The law does not
apply to animals that are being sold for
slaughter, or for a short-feeding period
The law is not very plain in some re-
spects, but il seems to be the intent to
cover only the buying and selling for
dairy purposes. Why this should be SO
| don't understand, for infected meat
is certainly just as unwholesome and
dangerous as the milk and butter from
dairy cows Some of our best scien-
lists claim that bovine tuberculosis is not
transmissable to the human family, but
| If it is not we would prefer to have
meat and milk from healthy animals,
and the only known way 10 be sure of
this is to apply the tuherculiu test
While the law does not compel anyone
to test unless they want to sell, yet |
think every farmer and dairyman should
be interested enough in the health Of
his family and cattle to 90 TO the ex-
pense of a test. Then you would at
least be safe and satisfied believe il
is only short time until the law will
compel everyone to test. This would
be the better way. for if we had the
disease 1t could all be stamped out at
one time, but now some will have to
test, so we can never tell when the dis
ease is stamped out.
The law provides ways for the dispos-
al of animals that react to the tubercu-
lin test One very bad feature of the
law is there is no limit to what the par
ties doing the testing can charge, and
only favored few can have permit
to test, so il looks as sort Of a pension
provided for these few. However, this
may be rectifed later. for the work is
not difficult to do. There ism { a neigh
borhood but what has one or more
dairymen or farmers who with little
reading and practice, can apply the test
| just as well as veterinarian. While
II takes just as long to test one or two
animals as il does to test twenty, yet
il parties in town with from one to
three head can get several together at
one place, the tester can do the work
very much cheaper for ALL
IL any other questions not covered in
this article in regard to the law, test
| ing for tuberculosis or organizing ccw-
testing associations, are sent in to the
| CENSOR, or my address, | will try to
answer them or find someone who can.
Viroqua, Route 3. G b. FISHER.