22 



Some difficulty was experienced during the season through the poultrynien's 

 neglect to submit their applications before the first of September. If the 

 applications are returned prior to the specified date the work can be better 

 organized and consequently more efficient service can be rendered. Priority 

 of testing is based to some extent on the order in which the applications are 

 submitted. No one should expect inuuediate testing if his application was not 

 sent in prior to the first of September, because all applications then on hand 

 will have been scheduled for a testing date. Changes in the schedule cannot 

 always be effected and requests for immediate service always involve extra 

 expense and tune, which affects the poultrymen in the end. All poultrymen 

 who received testing service this past season will be sent an application card. 

 Others njay obtain an application card by request. An early application 

 assures better service. The return of verification cards which state the tenta- 

 tive date and number of birds for testing is often neglected or delayed. The 

 final routing is based on the verification cards that are returned and all flock 

 owTiers failing to return the card will l>e considered as having cancelled their 

 application for testing. 



Ample and efficient assistance should be furnished to aid tlie blood collector 

 in collecting the samples, because experience has shown that most of the ir- 

 regularities responsible for errors can be traced directly to a lack of such 

 assistance. Occasional blood collectors' reports were received, stating that 

 children were the only assistants. One should not rely upon a child to do a 

 man's task. The owner or nuuiager sliould be sufficiently interested to secure 

 the type of help necessary to carry out the field operations of the testing 

 work accurately. 



Unnecessary conversation during the process of collecting samples leads to 

 confusion and inaccurate work. The blood C((llector is instructed to carry 

 out the field operations of the testing work and is not to be considered as a 

 source of information on poultry husbandry or disease problems. In case 

 errors are detected in the field the blood collector is instructed to rectify 

 them before he leaves the premises. In such an event the poultryman should 

 lend his assistance because he will receive the direct benefit. 



Most of the errors occurring in the field were found among flocks that were 

 retested within the season. When a flock is retested the birds are not re- 

 banded, but the old band number is recorded. In this way a complete testing 

 record of each bird is obtained. It also serves ;is a check to determine wheth- 

 er all reactors found in previous tests were removed from the flock. Poultry- 

 men retesting within the season should exercise every possible precaution 

 against errors by providing competent assistants. Accuracy should not be 

 sacrificed for speed. 



Poultrymen are requested to cooperate in furnishing accurate information 

 concerning their flock history. This information will be considered confiden- 

 tial and is obtained for the purpose of aiding the flock owner in solving his 

 problems. Trustworthy recoumiendations cannot be built upon either inac- 

 curate or incomplete information. 



Personal conferences are to be encouraged and an effort will be made to 

 establish more contacts with poultrjiiien through both group and personal 

 meetings. 



