BN-12793 



Dipping cattle for tick eradication 



TUBERCULOSIS 



The road to eradication 



The American consumer has enjoyed in- 

 creased freedom from the danKer of acquiring 

 tuberculosis from animal products since the 

 inception of the cooperative State-Federal pro- 

 gram in 1917. The considerable reduction in 

 slaughtering plant condemnations due to tuber- 

 culosis bear out the progress of field efforts to 

 eradicate the infection. 



When the program was initiated, about 5 

 percent of the cattle in the country were tuber- 

 culous. The disease was causing approximately 

 50,000 whole beef carcasses, and an even 

 greater number of swine carcasses, to be con- 

 demned annually as unfit for human consump- 

 tion. This was equivalent to a 20-mile-long 

 trainload of live animals. The number of whole 

 beef carcasses condemned in 19.59 was 91. 



The number of reactors found throughout 

 the United States declined steadily from the 

 advent of the program until a low point in dis- 

 ea.se incidence w^as reached in 1952. The in- 

 fection rate in 1952 was 0.11 percent of all 

 cattle tested, or 11 in every 10,000. 



In spite of the impressive drop in infection 

 rate since the start of the program, tubercu- 

 losis has yet to be eradicated. During 1953 and 

 1954, the percentage of reactors remained the 

 same as in 1952. 



Beginning in 1955, the number of reactors in 

 some areas of the country began to increase 

 until in 1959 a total of 23 of every 10,000 cattle 

 tested were identified as reactors. 



It is apparent that eradication of tubercu- 

 losis — and elimination of the last tuberculous 

 cow — is still a formidable problem. To wipe 

 out this menace to the livestock industry and to 

 public health, the Division is pursuing a broad 

 program of attack. 



A year of increasing activity 



During 1960, greater awareness of the need 

 to completely eliminate tuberculosis resulted 

 in increased attention to the following aspects 

 of the program: (1) Training in uniform test- 

 ing techniques; (2) more effective tracing pro- 

 cedui'es to locate exposed cattle; (3) greater 

 emphasis on field study projects; (4) addi- 

 tional work in laboratory diagnostics; and (5) 

 training in post-mortem examination. 



Training in uniform testing techniques 



National conferences and tuberculosis work- 

 shops have afforded opportunities for further 

 training of field veterinarians in the use of 

 proper equipment and approved techniques in 

 the uniform application and interpretation of 

 the tuberculin test. Division personnel have 

 conducted annual testing demonstrations for 

 seniors at colleges of veterinary medicine. This 

 phase of the program provides qualified per- 

 sonnel for continued improvement of the eradi- 

 cation effort. 



More effective tracing procedures 



An important adjunct to the regular testing 

 program is the location of infection by tracing 



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