•>H« IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



one year old, and instead of producing but one at a birth from six to 

 ten may reasonably be expected. If properly handled, the first litter of 

 young may be weaned in time to allow the sow to farrow again the same 

 year. This shows how very rapidly a farm may be stocked with healthy 

 swine after the total slaughter of a tuberculous lot. The early age at 

 which the sow may be bred, her capacity for breeding twice a year, and 

 the plural number of her offspring are forceful arguments for the total 

 destruction of every diseased drove of hogs and the breeding up in clean, 

 healthy quarters of a sound, healthy drove in its stead. 



DISINFECTION. 



Having removed all tuberculous cattle, hogs and fowls from the larm, 

 attention should next be given to disinfecting the premises so that no 

 center of infection may remain to contaminate future purchases of live 

 stock. This is in reality a serious job and should be entered into with 

 • full determination to do thorough work. The disinfection of pens and 

 stables may be accomplished by thoroughly cleaning them, scrubbing the 

 floors with hot water, brushing down all loose dust from the walls, and 

 tearing out all woodwork which has became partly decayed. The interior 

 of the pens or stables should then be carefully covered with a coating of 

 lime wash containing one part of formalin to 30 parts of lime wash, or 

 four ounces of formalin to each gallon of the lime preparation. The yards 

 should be carefully cleaned at the same time, especial attention being 

 given to the removal of all rubbish and litter from the dark, shady 

 corners. Lime, or a 3 per cent solution of carbolic acid, may then be 

 sprinkled upon these dark portions of the yards. In all of the open por- 

 tions of the yard the action of the direct rays of the sun will very quickly 

 destroy all the virulence of the scattered tubercle bacilli. 



The premises now being cleansed, healthy foundation stock may be 

 procured, and if proper attention is given to keeping the cattle of the farm 

 free from tuberculosis and to supplying the hogs with suitable food, the 

 owner may feel every reasonable assurance that he has seen the last of 

 tuberculosis among his swine. The trouble, time and expense required 

 will be more than repaid by the advantages gained. 



It has been quite conclusively shown that swine acquire their infective 

 tuberculous material from cattle, mankind, or poultry, but principally 

 cattle. 



Tuberculosis cannot develop spontaneously in swine, but must be ac- 

 quired from some outside source, and the farmer whose yards and stables 

 have been thoroughly freed from the disease need fear no reappearance 

 of the disease, except when introduced from some outside point of in- 

 fection. 



Great assistance will be afforded in keeping tuberculosis away from a 

 farm by the use of concrete in the construction of stables. Its advantages 

 over wood, which may decay so soon, in the construction of floors and 

 walls, can hardly be appreciated except by those who have tried it. Its 

 use affords one added means for combatting tuberculosis and freeing our 

 stock from its damaging effects. 



