No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. U7 



When au animal does not respond to proper lood and care, and is 

 persistently unthrifty and thin, with no apparent cause, we may sus- 

 pect tuberculosis, especiall}' if there is a history of tuberculous 

 contact. The appetite may be normal or even excessive, but the 

 animal does not gain in tlesh in proportion to the amount of food 

 consumed. Unthriftiness and emaciation are not always attend- 

 ant upon advanced cases of tuberculosis. Recently a registered 

 Shorthoin cow a])i>arontly in prime condition, wei<>lnii'2,' 1,700 jiounds. 

 was found after slaughter to have generalized tuberculosis. A 

 registered Holstein bull, which dressed nearly 900 pounds was found 

 to be similarly affected; in both cases there were no positive ante- 

 morten sA'mptoms and the presence of the disease was not sus- 

 pected until revealed by the tuberculin test. Such cases, while out 

 of the ordinary, are not at all rare. 



A gradual enlargement and hardening of the lymphatic glands, 

 especially of the throat and udder, is frequently noticed and is 

 often the first symptom which causes the suspicion of tuberculosis. 

 Sometimes enlarged glands in the throat or chest region will cause 

 attacks of ''bloating" by pressure upon the gullet. 



Scouring is usually only present when the disease has attacked 

 the bowels. Persistent scouring which will not yield to treatment, 

 justifies a suspicion of tuberculosis, but the diagnostician should 

 bear in mind the possibility of other causes, especially Johne's dis- 

 ease which is also known as chronic bacterial dysentery. 



The first appearance of tuberculosis in the udder cannot be de- 

 tected by phj'sical examination, but after a time hard lumps may be 

 felt in some parts of the glandular tissue after milking. A cow with 

 udder tuberculosis is a dangerous factor for the dissemination of the 

 disease to both human and animal subjects. 



Tuberculosis in hogs is usually not revealed until after slaughter. 

 Its detection by physical examination and study of symptoms is 

 more difficult than in the case of cattle. The intradermal tuberculin 

 test has been used on swine to some extent with good results. They 

 almost invariably contract the disease by ingestion of infected food. 

 The chief cause of tuberculosis in swine is the feeding of skim milk 

 and separator slop from creameries and cheese factories. This cause 

 can be largely removed by heating the milk sufficiently to destroy the 

 germs. Section 33 of the Act of July 22d, 1913, requires the opera- 

 tors of creameries and cheese factories to pasteurize skim milk and 

 separator slop by heating to at least 178 degrees Fahrenheit before 

 returning the product to patrons. 



Another source of infection is feeding upon the droppings from 

 tuberculous cattle. A high percentage of tuberculosis is found in 

 liogs which have been fed upon refuse from slaughter houses. 



A pig which has contracted the disease from a tuberculous mother 

 may show marked symptoms of intestinal disturbances. It becomes 

 stunted, pot bellied, thin and has a general unthrifty appearance. 

 The appetite becomes variable, there is usually diarrhoea, bloating 

 and sometimes vomiting. The course of active tuberculosis in young 

 [ligs is usually short, but may extend over a longer period in older 

 ones. When the disease is localized and not sufficiently advanced to 

 .seriously interfere with the body functions, there are no noticeable 

 symptoms. 



