The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-02-09
GUERNSEY BREEDERS IA VOR
AREA TESTING OF LIVESTOCK

TO nav high prices for his cattle II
is surprising then how often me
subjects them to unfavorable con :
ditions. We have found that TINS
can be brought out very torGlDly
by such questions on the follo"lns'
One. Have you anything on
your farm which represents as
much money as your cattle!
Two. Is there anything on
your farm which gets less at
Three. If you plant a field OF
corn do YOU not measure the
crop by the amount Of care ex-
pended on it?
1.-THE answer to the first question
is invariably no and to the thlru
"The inspector next asks: Then
does il not seem reasonable to You
that your cattle which represent the
biggest outlay of money should nave
a proportionate amount OF care 10
give the best results.
The farmer usually says that he
never thought Of 1t in just that
light ,,,
I'VE find manure thrown out IN
barnyards for stock to feed from
and tramp into the mud. When d
farmer is asked his reason for per
hitting such practice he Is unable
to offer a plausible explanation. We
recommend a separate yard Tor
manure If it cannot, be removed
I'VE often find feed and watering
troughs that have never been clean. .
ed, 1t is generally conceded that
the largest per cent of tuberculosis
infection is spread through the eat
ing and drinking places. With this
fact in mind special attention should
be given to them to see that they
are properly cleaned and disinfected.
at is but natural to acknowledge
the presence of only such objects as
can be seen with the nnalded eye.
Science however, by means or the
high power microscope has clearly
nr0ved the existance of numerous
minute animal and vegetable organ
isms, mecroorganism. and 1t Is
matter of common knowledge that
many of these organisms frequently
find their way into the animal body
and produce disease. 1t is also
we'll known that these mecroorgan.
isms or germs vary in form End
other characteristics and that Tor
each disease Of an infectious nature
there is a specific germ.
"If these germs could be conhned
to the animal body and die with 1t
there would be no such things as
an infectious disease, Unfortunate
ly however. they are thrown on bv
the animal through the excretons
and lie in the soil in the litter OF
stables, upon the floor, and walls,
and in cracks and crevices. Here
thew remain and maintain their
yerulance for an indefinite period
ready at any time to be gathered
up by an animal in its feed or to
be blown about in dust and drawn
into the lungs.
THE VIRTUE OF DISINFECTANT
1.-THE work of distinction is bas-
ed upon our recognition Of the pre-
sence of disease germs and disin-
lection means the act of destroying
the cause of infection. In other
words disinfection is the removal OF
SAny approved method however,
is comparatively simple when car
ried out carefully although IKE
which attention to details count for
much. II is important to bear IN
mind that the causative agents OF
many diseases are extremely small
and many remain for an indefinite
time in dust and cracks and Gre
vices of buildings so that efforts
aiming at the eradication of disease
from contaminated premises must
be through in order to be effective.
"1n the work of disinfection ma
ture has provided man with most
valuable ally-sunlight. 1t Is well
known that the direct rays OF the
sun are inimical to many forms OF
! bacteria in some cases destroying
them and in others lessening their
influence. Thus the importance OF
we'll lighted stables is evident. The
dark and sunless building will be a
favorable breeding place for bacteria
and the structure which admits. the
greater amount of sunlight will be
the least favorable for their de-
velopment. In disinfecting stables
we recommend that disinfectants be
used that are recommended by the
department of agriculture, same oil
which have been approved as con !
tanning at least from 40 to so per
cent cresolic acid and in using this
1 part to 80 parts water and spray
ed over the, walls, floors, ceiling,
! managers it will destroy the germs.
Under regulations of the depart
parations of sapoinfied cresoe So
lutions as meet certain requirements
are permitted for official disinfect-
ton.
I'm practical work of disinfection
there are three essentials. Prepar-
ing the barn so as to react the or
ganism. Use a disinfectant which
upon contact can be depended upon
to destroy such organism. A method
of applying the disinfectant that
will assure the most through con-
tact with the bacteria.
Before starting to spray on dis
infectant the barn it is essential to
remove all manure or litter from
the barn and surrounding. Scrape
the floors and wash them with hot
water and I've so as to get the en-.
crusted manure free from the wood
or cement. Stanchions should be
washed and scraped we'll and CELL
ing swept.
an most instances it is advisable
to have barns face in such a d.
rection that the barn lot may be to
the south so that the cattle may
have the benefit of the sunshine in
the winter and be protected at the
same time from the cold north
winds. e
Usually when the farmer is
ready to build stock barn he goes
to the town contractor and turns
the Job over to him regardless OF
the fact that such contractors know
very little of the needs Of livestock.
Valuable information on this sub
ject can be secured from various
state and federal bulletins which