124 Agricultural Bacteriology. 



person. No farmer should fail to test his herd because 

 a veterinarian is not to be obtained or because of the 

 expense of employing one. The tuberculin can be pur- 

 chased of reputable firms at a cost of 15 to 25 cents per 

 dose. The instruments need not cost over five dollars. 

 The work can be done during the times when the farm 

 work is least pressing. 



The advantage of being able. to test one's own animals 

 is very great, since retests can be made on suspicious 

 animals and animals to be brought into the herd, tested. 

 If some one must be employed to make those tests at ir- 

 regular times, the testing is likely to be neglected and 

 because of this neglect, the farmer may fail to free his 

 herd from the disease or may introduce it by the pur- 

 chase of a cow supposed to be healthy. 



Reasons for testing the herd. Every farmer should 

 determine the condition of his herd for its own sake 

 because delay means increased loss through diminished 

 production of diseased animals, through further spread 

 of the disease in the herds, and through death of animals 

 before the normal time. From the standpoint of duty 

 to himself and to society, he should see that his herd is 

 healthy. This can be, done only by the use of the tuber- 

 culin test. 



Some states have passed laws requiring compulsory 

 testing, and for animals found affected, partial remuner- 

 ation is given. The methods of disposal of reacting 

 animals depends upon the state of the disease. When the 

 carcass is affected only slightly, it is passed for food 

 under Federal inspection. If the disease shows evidence 

 of being generalized, the carcass is condemned and 

 tanked for fertilizer. 



As previously indicated, it is possible to raise healthy 



