The Calumet news., 1912-06-18
DUMPING GROUND
FOR SICK CATTLE
MANY TUBERCULOSIS COWS SHIP.
PED INTO U. s. SAYS IN
sPEcToR.

Marquette The upper peninsula Is
the dumping ground for Wisconsln's
tubercular cattle. according TO Or. ~.
w. DeddmaD. milk and dairy inspec
tor oi Marquette. Wisconsin has
strong milk and dairy laws, which pro-
vide for the tuberculosis test and
which prevent the shipping of tubercu-
lar cattle from one part of the state
To another. Michigan has no law
which excludes tubercular cattle. and
as result. il is said. hundreds OF
tubercular cattle have been shipped
into the upper peninsula.
Marquette Is the first city in the
upper peninsula To make provision foi
a compulsory tuberculin test. Dr.
Deadman believes he viii find many
infected cattle. but as the state pays
two- thirds the value Of such cattle
investigating the sources of the milk
that is shipped into the city from WIS
consin. He has written 10 veterinary
surgeons IN the cities from which milk
is shipped here. asking fer statements,
as TO whether the cattle nave been Ia.
berculin tested, and Is also writing 70
the prosecuting attorneys IN the dif-
ferent counties.
II is the experience of Wisconsin that
high grade cattle are the most suscep-
tible to tuberculosis. Especially Is this
! true where the cows give unusual
quantities of milk and butter fat. When
| Wisconsin was making its reputation
as dairy state, the Jersey and Ilol-
steir breeds came into demand IS the
best milk producers. The breeders, il
order 10 advertise their stock by cows
that gave an unusual amount of milk
and butter fat, forced the milk, taxi
| ing all the butter fat they could get at
each milking. This method lessened
the resistance of the cows to the tuber-
cular germ by placing the cows in
warm, i'll ventilated stables, which
were conducive to heavy milkings bu'
also excellent breeding places for II,
germs. they developed tuberculosis
until the condition of the cattle at last
became alarming.
Michigan Law is Lame.
When the rirst investigation wal
made it was found that rs per cent OF
the, cattle were tubercular. This pro.
portion has now been brought down t.
| nc per cent. This condition was dut
largely to the purchase OF hish priced
Jerseys and Holsteins TO improve the
stock. As many of these cattle were
Tblbercular, the disease vas sprea6
| from herd TO herd. When the state
took action law was passed which
prevented the railroads from shippinf
cattle from one part of the state 10 an
, other without an accompanying state
ment from veterinary surgeon indi'
eating that the COW had beer tuber-
culin tested. There was nothing, ir
the law which prevented the railroads
| from shipping infected cattle out of the
state.
The mberculin test has been usea
here To some extent. hut Dr. Deadmai
beliel es that many OF the cattle that
have been shipped into lshpeming ant
Negaunee from Wisconsin, will b.
found to be tubercular. The test Il
itself IS not dangerous to the cattle
Tuberruin is simply gelatino cultur,
which is iwJected and which %ilI caus'
reaction Ii there are 'mhercular germs
IN the cows system.
When the new ordinance goes int
effect July 10 the dairymen who do moi
have statements from veterinary sur
geons that their COWS have been tuber-
culin tested will not be allowed TO de
liver their milk until the test has been
made. DIR. Deadman VIII enforce tn
ordinance rigidly and anyone who fails
70 comply with it's provisions will h'
somewhat inconvenienccd as the tes'
takes several days.
----