Ju7ie 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W 427 



Safeguarding Farm Stock from Disease. 



(1) Preventing the Introduction of Infection. 



[Continued from page 344.] 



MAX HENRY, M.R.C.V.S., B.V.Sc. 



Infection from Clothing, &c. 



The secoud means by which infection can be brought on to a farm or 

 station is the clothing and boots of persons who visit infected premises 

 and then go on to healthy ones ; but any utensils, vehicles, forage, or 

 anything used in connection with infected - stock, or produced by infected 

 stock, can, under certain circumstances, act as a medium for the introduction 

 of disease. The most important diseases so disseminated are anthrax, swine 

 fever, and tuberculosis. Anthrax has in some countries been introduced 

 on to many farms through infected forage or bonedust, but peither of these 

 means of di.'isemination has been shown to be common in this country, since 

 nearly all our outbreaks occur under circumstances which eliminate the 

 possibility of such infection. The custom of destroying anthrax carcases or 

 suspicious carcases by fire or deep burial without opening is also responsible, 

 without doubt, for some of our immunity from such methods of infection. 

 Swine fever may be taken from piggery to piggery on boots and clothing, but 

 such must not be looked upon as the common method of spread. Still, a 

 pig farmer is well advised to keep away from piggeries where swine- fever 

 exists or is suspected to exist. 



One source of infection of pigs and calves with tuberculosis is the custom 

 of feeding these animals on skim milk or other milk products from a creamery 

 or butter or cheese factory. The milk products from a number of herds are 

 mixed there and a few tubercular herds may contaminate the lot. Such milk 

 products should be boiled before being fed to young stock. ( 



Contamination from Uncontrolled Agencies. 



Under the third heading come certain uncontrolled and almost uncon- 

 trollable agencies in the spread of disease which deserve notice but cannot 

 be regarded as operating with great frequency ; such agencies are flesh-eating 

 birds, dogs, and flies. It has been shown, for instance, that the dog is much 

 more resistant to anthrax than many other animals and that he can consume 

 anthrax meat without necessarily becoming affected, and yet, at the same 

 time, pass out anflirax bacilli with the faeces and thus infect other stock. 

 This is but one among several reasons why stray dogs are a nuisance and 

 a danger, and if the possibility is borne in mind of the dog's near relatives, 

 the dingo and the fox, sharing this resistance to anthrax, it will be obvious 

 that we have an agency in the spread of disease very difficult to control. 



