would have permitted the flock owners to sell hatching eggs and chicks with an 

 official label and thereby give them a greater market for their stock. Also, by testing 

 all the birds over five months of age one is able to determine the true pullorum 

 status of the flock. 



The testing results also reveal that 21 flocks, representing 40,968 birds, were 

 tested intermittently. It is recognized that in some instances flocks drop out of 

 the testing program because of lack of demand for hatching eggs or chicks. What- 

 ever the reason may be for discontinuing testing for a period of time, it is recom- 

 mended that every possible precaution be observed to prevent the introduction of 

 infection. The test serves only as a means of detecting infection, but it does not 

 prevent its introduction into a flock. The responsibility must be accepted entirely 

 by the poultryman. Therefore, if the flock is not tested the flock owner should adopt 

 the same measures for maintaining a free flock as the flock owner who has a clean 

 flock. It is hoped that all breeding flock owners will exert every effort to test their 

 flocks annually and to test all birds more than five months of age before they are 

 used for hatching purposes. 



It should be re-emphasized that the laboratory is organized to test during the 

 entire year. However, the following summary reveals that there is a definite peak 

 of testing. : 



Months Number of Tests 



April, 1953 39,464 



May 30.,103 



June 64,936 



July 63,232 



August 107,553 



September 142,872 



October 184,459 



November 171,868 



December 147,727 



January 136,401 



February 91,490 



March 48,558 



April, 1954 1,275 



1,229,938 



It is very difficult or almost impossible to employ personnel for only a few months. 

 Therefore, it is requested that certain flock owners who may have birds maturing 

 in the slack months of testing have such birds tested during those months. They 

 will greatly facilitate the work in the field and laboratory, and they will receive 

 better service. 



Filing Applications for Testing: Too many flock owners are not returning 

 their applications for testing but instead filing a request for testing by letter. Too 

 often when this is done the information provided is incomplete and frequently 

 leads to inefficient and a more costly service. It is hoped that the flock owners will 

 cooperate on this point and likewise file their applications early. The applications 

 are processed in the order received, unless for some reason, it appears expedient to 

 deviate from this procedure. 



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