The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1922-08-24
TUBERCULOSIS IN CATTLE

(By County Agent HollingsWorth.l
One Of the most Dangerous animals
to the health of the future genera
lions is the tubercalar COW. This COW
exists in practically every part of the
whole country, except where the dis
ease has been eradicated by the plar
known as the countrywide eradiea-
tion work.
Statistics show that a large per
centage of tuberculosis in the human
family is caused by the use Of milk
from a tubercular COW by our chill
dren, children being much more sus-
ceptible to the disease than adults
AS milk is the nearest balanced food
that a child can have, and as it also
contains the necessary vitamines in
a form that children need for their
growth and development, it is very
essential that child have a good
supply of the right kind Of milk
every day as regular part OF its
diet. Numbers Of experiments have
been conducted at the different ex-
pertinent stations on animals of all
kinds to find the true value of milk as
a food and it has been found that milk
is the nearest to a perfect food known
and contains the very elements neces-
sary for the proper development of
the child. If every other food were
eliminated and the child allowed to
have plenty of good rich milk the child
will continue to grow and develop
properly, but on the other hand, if
milk is eliminated from the diet a de-
ficiency will result that only milk can
overcome.
Now, that we realize the import
ance Of milk as a part Of the diet Of
everyone, the next step is to provide
the proper kind of milk for this diet.
If this milk is from a tubercular cow,
no more dangerous food could be fed.
The appearance of the cow in many
instances will not determine her con-
dition, as she may be tubercular. In
fact, the writer has seen the smoothest
and latest of cows that were tuber-
cular reactors. One case in particu-
lar was at the Auburn Experiment
Station at Auburn, Ala, where the
largest COW of the Shorthorn breed
was tubercular, one of the pref
tiest, smoothest and latest cows to
be found in any herd. The same is
true with the dairy breeds. and in
some instances the best cows in the
herd are found to be reactors. By
reaetors we mean that the COW re-
acts to the tuberculin test, which
proves that she has the disease.
The eradication Of tuberculosis in
a county is now a very simple process
and the expense Of same very light,
considering the work done The
county furnishes a qualified yeterin-
arian for the time necessary to do the
work: the state furnishes a similar
man at no cost; the federal govern
ment furnishes a veterinarian at no
cost These three veterinarians, with
the necessary help, test every COW in
the county. When a COW is found to
be a reactor she is branded with a
letter "T" on the Jaw. At the end Of
the work in the county these cows
are sent to the nearest packing house,
that is assisting in the eradication
work, and there is slaughtered under
government inspection. In some
forms of the disease only the milk is
affected and the beef is safe for
human food. If this is the case, the
beef is sold. If the beef is found to
be unfit for food the carcass is sent
to the fertilizer pit, where the entire
carcass is made into fertilizer. In
this way the entire value of the cow
is not lost, and if fit for food, mar
ket price is paid
We are all very much interested in
the crops grown in our county, but
do not pay enough attention to the
"crop" that means more to US than
all others conbined-our children.
To think that for small amount this
work can be done in our county and
done properly, that will safeguard
our children in the entire county
against this most dreaded disease.
Let us all get busy on this PROPOSE
ton that is greatly needed and have
it done.
We will try to enumerate few Of
the advantages Of having a county
free from tuberculosis, in addition to
the greatest reason Of all, as mem
toned above.
/. Dairy and breeding cattle may
be shipped from accredited counties
to any state in the Union without
subiecting them to the tuberculin test.
This is a great accommodation to-
shippers.
2. Greatly increased demand and al
higher price for all dairy and cream
cry products.
3. Ten cents per 100 pounds above
the market price for all hogs bred and
raised in accredited counties.
4. Dairy cows from accredited
counties are now selling for from So
to SIS per head above the price of
similar cows from non-accredited
counties.
5. When all cattle in the county
have successfully passed the test and
all diseased animals have been re-
then every man and woman
in the county will positively know
that the milk and butter consumed
BY them and their families is from
from healthy cows.
The counties of Marshall and