31 



time they were reported to them. Tlie information in this table was 

 obtained by comparing the agglutination test report of one test with the 

 preceding one. One himdred and nine (109) reports were studied, and a 

 total of 84 reactors were found to have been left in the flocks from one 

 test to another by 26 poultrymen. The number of birds in the 26 flocks 

 was 24,920. 



Six of the 26 flock owners also left reactors in the flocks either from the 

 IJ*26-27 test until the 1927-28 tests, or from one test to another during 

 the 1927-28 season. It is not surprising that these poultrymen are having 

 difficulty in eliminating the infection from their premises. 



One poultryman failed to remove 15 reactors from his flock during the 

 1927-28 season, and the 1928-29 test showed seven of these were still 

 in the flock. Five of the seven were left in the flock for three successive 

 tests. Through the efforts of the County Agent this poultryman has now 

 realized the mistake in following such a plan, and no doubt will begin to 

 get results. It is useless to spend money for testing if all the reactors are 

 not removed after each test. 



Faiiure to Hum Offal From Reactors Kci>t fur Home Consumption: — A 

 mistake which is sometimes made by poultrymen, is the keeping of reactors 

 for home consumption. Such birds are suitable for meat purposes, but for 

 the good of the eradication program, it would be better to sell them to 

 the market. Reactors are killed and often very little attention is paid 

 to the disposal of the ofl"al (feathers, intestines, ovaries, etc.). Many 

 times these waste products are given to hogs, or thrown on the manure pile, 

 or if buried, not deep enough to prevent dogs or other animals digging 

 them up. Such waste products constitute one of the most dangerous 

 sources of transmission of infection, and if carried to the poultry yards 

 are likely to cause infection to spread rapidly among the adult birds. 



If it is necessary to keep reactors for meat purposes at home, we sug- 

 gest that all offal be burned so as to prevent any possible chance of trans- 

 mission of the disease to the non-reactors. 



Failure to Clean and Disinfect: — Unless tiie poultry houses arc tliorouglilv 

 cleaned and disinfected following the removal of reactors, there is danger 

 of disease-free birds becoming infected by the germs causing pullorum 

 disease, which may be in the litter and on the dropping boards. This is 

 especially true in flocks where the birds are in the habit of laying eggs on 

 the dropping boards or on the floor, since eggs laid by reactors to the 

 agglutination test may be teeming with the germs causing the infection. 

 This is one of the most common methods of transmission of the disease 

 from adult to adult. 



At the end of the 1927-28 season, and also at the end of the past test- 

 ing season, a question regarding cleaning and disinfection was included 

 in the questionnaire sent to all poultrymen for whom testing was done. 

 In the replies received, 14 persons in 1927-28 and 34 in 1928-29 who had 

 infection on the premises reported that they did not clean and disinfect 

 following the removal of reactors. It is difficult to clean and disinfect 

 during the winter months, but whenever possible an empty pen should be 

 provided in order that birds may be moved from pen to pen, and thus 

 permit thorough cleaning and disinfection. 



In the replies from the questionnaires sent to the poultrymen during 

 the i)ast season, 36 different disinfectants were reported. Many of these 

 lire of doubtftil value, and all poultrymen are advised to consult either their 



