BUREAU OF ANIMAL, INDUSTRY. 14S 



of supervising officers, was 46 cents a head, as compared with 57 

 cents for the preceding year. 



Close supervision was again given to the slaughter of reacting 

 cattle with a view to investigating the cases in which no visible 

 lesions of tuberculosis were found on post-mortem examination. Of 

 42,770 reactors slaughtered, 3.3 per cent showed skin lesions only 

 and 1 per cent showed udder lesions, while 62 varieties of other 

 obscure lesions were reported. A close study of all these reactors 

 indicates that approximately 17.8 per cent would be classified as 

 spreaders of the disease, and that approximately 12 per cent were 

 either condemned or sterilized as unfit for food purposes. 



CONFERENCES, PUBLICITY, ETC. 



Two major conferences on tuberculosis eradication were held 

 during the year, one at Chicago, 111., November 25 and 26, 1921, and 

 one at Hartford, Conn., June 6 to 8, 1922. These conferences in- 

 cluded bureau and State officials, veterinary employees, practicing 

 veterinarians, livestock owners, representatives of breeders' associa- 

 tions, public-health officials, county agents, and others. Representa- 

 tives of the Tuberculosis Eradication Division also attended other 

 conferences of veterinarians, livestock owners, public officials, and 

 others. 



A conference of bureau inspectors in charge was held at Washing- 

 ton in September, 19i21, for the purpose of revising and improving 

 the methods of keeping field office records. Considerable improve- 

 ment in efficiency has resulted. 



The distribution of literature is an important means of promoting 

 the eradication of tuberculosis from livestock. A large distribution 

 of Farmers' Bulletin 1069 has been maintained. A poster, " Fight 

 Tuberculosis," was issued and has been well received. Mimeo- 

 graphed circulars were sent at intervals to bureau veterinarians and 

 accredited practitioners with a view to improving and standardiz- 

 ing their me|;hods and cultivating their interest and cooperation. 

 Twenty-three articles on tuberculosis eradication were prepared in 

 the division and published in livestock and veterinary periodicals. 



DIVISION OF HOG-CHOLERA CONTROL. 



Activities in combating hog cholera were continued through the 

 Division of Hog-Cholera Control, under Dr. U. G. Houck, chief, in 

 cooperation with State airthorities in 32 States. 



Early in the year extensive outbreaks of hog cholera occurred in a 

 few of the Cotton Belt and Corn Belt States. Owing to financial 

 conditions farmers did not buy the necessary serum to immunize 

 their swine, and before steps could be taken to check these outbreaks 

 some serious losses had been experienced. 



These circumstances no doubt account for the increased death rate 

 from the disease, which rose from 39.3 per 1,000 in the year ended 

 April 30. 1921, to 48.7 per 1.000 in the following year. This experi-" 

 ence emphasizes the necessity for continued vigilance and action to 

 cope with the disease and shows that cholera continues to be the 

 most serious menace to the swine industry if not guarded against 

 constantly. 



