percentage of positive tests was smallest in tlie predominating breeds which 

 had been tested o\'er a longer period, thereby decreasing the amount of in- 

 fection. Among the leading breeds the smallest number of positive tests was 

 found in the Barred Plymouth Rocks. 



The total number of tests was 386,098, of which 2.17 per cent were positive. 



Plymouth County led in the number of tests made for the year. Three 

 counties had less than 1 per cent positive tests. The largest percentage of 

 positive tests was found in Hampden County. 



Classification of Tested Fowls Other Than Chickens 



Information is being gathered on fowls other than chickens to determine if 

 they play a role in the eradication of pullorum disease. During the 1928-29 

 testing season, 264 such fowls were tested. Three turkeys were detected as 

 positive reactors to the agglutination test, but upon autopsy the causative 

 organism of the disease was not isolated. 



In Table 2 a brief sununary is given of the fowls tested during the past 

 season. No reactors were detected among the 584 fowls which included ducks, 

 geese, guinea fowls, pheasants, turkeys and pigeons. According to the findings, 

 fowls other than chickens do not harbor the causative organism of pullorum 

 disease. However, these results are not conclusive since only a small number 

 of birds was tested. Poultrymen raising fowls other than chickens should 

 cooperate in having such birds tested in order to determine their susceptibil- 

 ity to pullorum disease. 



Table 2. — Classification of Fowls Other Than Chickens. 



Totals 602 82 584 



Range in Percentage of Infection 



First Tents of the Seasoiu-^During the season, 331,314 birds,— 303,125 fe- 

 males and 28,189 males, — were tested'. Of the total number tested, 7,799 or 

 2.35 per cent were reactors. The percentage of female reactors exceeded that 

 of the male reactors. 



As listed in Table 3 the percentage of infection in the 460 flocks ranged 

 from less than 1 to more than 60 per cent. Approxmiately two-thirds of the 

 flocks and birds tested are classified in the no infection group, representing 

 286 flocks and 203,038 birds. The number of flocks listed in the infected 

 groups is 174, representing 128,276 birds. The owners of such flocks would 

 have benefited by intensive retesting. Several infected flocks through retest- 

 ing became non-reacting before the close of the season. These flocks are men- 

 tioned later in the discussion of Table 4. 



