556 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



into the stat,e were found to be diseased when the necessary tests 

 provided for in such iiiles w^ere applied, these animals being 

 properly disposed of, thereby protecting the native live stock 

 from probable infection. As will be noted from the statistical 

 report contained herein, there were 16,117 head of live stock 

 imported into this state, during the six months between January 

 1, 1912, and July 1, 1912, all of which passed an inspection and 

 it will be readily seen that the vast movement of stock would be 

 a source of great infection were it not for the present importation 

 requirements. 



The tuberculosis situation has assumed little, if any headway, 

 being met on all sides by opposition. The better class of stock 

 raisers evading a general test and eradication of the disease from 

 their premises, being in a position, as they are, to dispose of a 

 suspected animal to some innocent purchaser as a healthy animal 

 and receive the price an aiiiiiial in first class condition would bring. 

 The poorer class of people who have but a limited number of 

 animals and depend more or less on their cattle for a livelihood 

 oppose the test for fear the disease would be found in their herds 

 and would prefer to handle and feed sucli stock in ignorance oif 

 their possible condition rather than know the truth and abide 

 by the consequences. 



The present method of selling tuberculin and applying tests 

 is far from beneficial to satisfactory results in eliminating tuber- 

 cular cattle from herds or gaining assurance that cattle even 

 when accompanied by tuberculin test records are free from 

 tuberculosis. 



Tuberculin is a very accurate and reliable diagnostic agent for 

 the detection of tuberculosis but may be procured by the laity and 

 the tests applied by careless, unscrupulous and incompetent 

 parties. Cattle suspected of reacting to tests of this nature are 

 disposed of as the o^vner may see fit, which is generally to some 

 unsuspecting party, whereby the original owner shirks the loss 

 and the animal is passed on to other premises where the disease 

 may not have been previously in existence, and sets up a new 

 area of infection. 



Hog cholera has been more or less general over the entire 

 state during the past two years and great interest has been taken 

 in the matter. Owing possibly to the fact that the losses are more 

 apparent tban from some of the more obscure diseases such as 



