The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-20

"A TUBExDOOlO81S EXHG1&kN4GZyV
The problems presented ~. the
widespread existence OF tuberculosis
in dairy cattle are manifold. They
bear on human experience in connec-
ton with the hygiene of the milk
supply. which is assuredly a matter
Of no small concern to ali classes Of
society. The question Of tubercuIosis
in cattle involves the economies OF
agriculture to a far greater degree
than the uninitiated can appreciates:
for the disease has. manifested itself
SO widely that. the hope of complete
eradication must be deferred for
long time, to say the least Further
more, the outcome of the management
of tuberculous herds may point the
way for advantageous applications in
the field of human trsatmant or pre-
vention.
In view of the enormous practical
difficulties in the way of the complete
eradication of tuberculosis in cattle by
the wholesale slaughter OF all animals
known to be infected with tubercu-
losis, schemes for utilizing the latter
have been devised. The most promi-
nent. of. these II the system whereby
tuberculous cows are isolated and used
for breeding purposes. the calves be-
ing removed from the mothers at the
earliest moment and brought up
without further exposure to the dis
ease. This has been rendered pos
sible by the finding that such young
are regularly born in perfect health,
and entirely free from tuberculosis.
The affected breeding cattle In this
way do not become an economic loss.
A ten-year investigation. carefully
verified and supervised by government
ofYicials, has just been reported by
Brooks In connection with what is
probably one OF the most valuable
herds of Holstein-Fries cattle in
the world.
The object was to produce a herd
of Holstein. cattle free from tubercu-
losis faint and yet endowed with all the
most valuable strain-characteristics
possessed by this breed. Animals
were selected because of their desir-
ability, entirely independent of the
presence or absence of tuberculosis.
The tuberculous animals greatly out
numbered the non-tuberculous. Three
hundred tuberculous animals were
studied. The existence Of tubercu-
losis was determined by the admins
tration Of treble the official dose of
|tuberculin. repeated in non-reacting
animals three times at intervals OF six
months. ALI animals reacting to either
test were removed at once to the tu-
berculous farm so that there was no
possibility of the transmission OF in
lection from the tuberculous group to
the healthy one. At birth the calves
are Immediately taken from the
mother. Feelings are on pasteurized
milk collected Unfortunately from
sound and tuberculous animals.
/ OF more than two hundred calves
born of the tuberculous herd, not one
has become tuberculous. although all
have been tested three times by mas
sive doses of tuberculin. These AMI
mails are rather more resistant to tu-
berculosis than animals born of nom
Ituberculous parents. No falling off
in type. in milk production or
fertility Is present in these calves,
no increase in death-rate exists
among them As compared with
the offspring Of healthy cattle, no
falling on in value takes place. and
several Of the most valuable cows and
bulls In the world are OF this ancestry.
These facts. says The Journal Of the
American Medical Association, remain
constant even where at least three
generations of known tuberculous
parentage exist.