The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-08-18
TUbERCUL 0SIS.
 IS SPREADING
 AMONG CATTLE


 swine in this country that scientists of the United States Department of Agriculture now predict that unless the spread is checked the time is not far distant when all our swine herds will be attacked by the disease.'' Their opinion is based upon statistics kept by the Meat Inspection Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry, which show that the disease has been on the increase in the United States for a number of years.
 According to these figures showing the cattle and swine slaughtered un- der Government supervision during the fiscal year 1919. there were con demned on account of tuberculosis at the official meat inspection sta tions 65,S3S hogs and 37,6O0 cattle, the equivalent of about 2,00O car loads of hogs and 1000 carloads of cattle. Large as the swine industry of the United States is. they point out, it can not sustain annually these losses.
 What it Means in Dollars
 It is suggested that as a means of interesting the livestock producers of the next generation that breeders fig ure out the total number of pounds of beef and pork that were destroyed on account of the condemnation of this number of animals. Then, car rying out the problem in dcllars and cents,S calculate the losses sustained by those concerned in the transaction. In calcula ting the losses it will be well to consider also that these animals were fed approximately 30,000 car loads of feed in their preparation for market. More than this. since only about 65 per cent of the cattle and swine slaughtered in the country are killed in establishments under Fed eral supervision, the figures given must be regarded as only part of the losses annually sustained.
 It is by allowing tuberculosis anil nals to ningle with healthy ones that the disease is spread. Tuber- culosis cattle are the principal source of tuberculosis in hogs, the disease being transmitted readily by feeding hogs on unpasteurized dairy products, or by allowing hogs to follow tuber- culosis cattle in feed lots and to feed on undigested grain in the droppings. Tuberculosis in swine is found to be more prevalent in communities where tuberculosis among cattle is quite common. To eradicate tuberculosis in swine it is necessary to exterminate the disease among cattle.
 Must Pass Two Tests
 With this end in view a campaign for eradicating tuberculosis was in augurated by the Bureau of Animal Industry in 1917. This work has been extended into 45 states. and in all probability the three states not now engaged in the work will take it up as soon as their respective legisla- lures have an opportunity of taking the matter under consideration. The campaign is divided into three pro- jects: The accredited-herd plan, the eradication of tuberculosis from cir cumscribed areas, and the eradica- ton of tuberculosis from swine.
 The accredited-herd plan provides that when herds of cattle have passed two successful annual tuberculin tests applied by State or Federal officials, they are classified as accredited and a certificate issued showing that the herds have been found to be free from the disease. Up to July, 1920, there were approximately 5000 ac- credited herds and more than 15,00O herds which have passed one success ful test in preparation for being ac- credited.
 It is to the interest of the swine raiser to know that his herd is be- ing maintained on a healthy basis, free froN tuberculosis. This fact can be determined only by a careful tuberculin test or by obtaining infor- nation from the establishment where the animals he sells are slaughtered. If all shipr& ents of swine were mark ed, by branding or other means, for the purpose of identification, each lot could be traced to the killing floor Tuberculosis animals thus could be traced back to the farm of their origin, and livestock sanitary officials could take proper steps for extern1inating the disease there.
 Unfortunately, however, it is impos- sible to trace a large proportion of the diseased shipments, because the animals change hands many times and are mixed up al public stockyards so that by the time they have reached the killing floor their identity is lost. Notwith sta ding this. many hundred diseased lots are traced back to their source. The bureau keeps track of such shipments and notifies State of- ficials at the point of destination of their movement In that way tuber- culosis is being eradicated from many farms.
 Beverly Test Advisable
 Each livestock owner should make a practice of having his herd of cat tie tuberculin tested by a competent veterinarian at least every two years. If he has no cattle and has breed ing herd of swine. it is advisable to have them tested by the intradermic method. This testy though, should be applied only by a ski1lfu1 veterinar- ian who understands the subject thoroughly. If tuberculosis exists in a herd-either of cattle or of swine the diseased animals should be sep arated from the healthy ones; if they are grade animals. they should be slaughtered; if they are pure-bred animals of high individual merit, the matter of isolating them 50 that they may be retained for breeding pur- poses should be given proper consid- eration. In any event, the matter should be taken up with the State livestock sanitary official. so that his advice may be obtained with refer ence to the isolation of diseased an- imalS.