DIVISION OF ANIMAL HEALTH 

 Mabel A. Owen, Director 



The control and eradication of important domestic animal diseases is 

 not only crucial to human health, it is one of the areas of regulatory 

 service which truly benefits both the consumer and the producer. Energy 

 and transportation costs escalate. The practice of good disease control 

 is one of the few profit areas still under the producer-farmer's control. 

 With an administrative staff of eight and a field staff of fourteen Veterinarians 

 and Inspectors, the Division of Animal Health works in close cooperation with 

 the animal owning sector of Agriculture to ensure that the food produced 

 here will provide profit and good health to farmer and consumer alike. 



BRUCELLOSIS 



Since this bovine-porcine disease readily attacks man in the form of 

 Undulant Fever, its eradication from our cattle and swine herds is impera- 

 tive. With one relatively small dairy herd still under quarantine and less 

 than six swine herds known to be infected, complete eradication is v/ell 

 within reach. Since Massachusetts is an importing state, with regard to 

 both cattle and swine, it is difficult to keep disease out and we rely 

 extensively on surveillance procedures and widespread testing. All dairy 

 herds are subject to a BRT (Brucellosis Ring Test) every sixty days. All 

 imports are retested and an MCI (Market Cattle Inspection) is conducted at 

 slaughter plants. Brucellosis, once located, can be eradicated through 

 herd depopulation or through a repeated test-and-remove-infected-animals 

 procedure. The former is quick; the latter more costly of time though 

 usually much less of a financial loss to the farmer. Total herd depopulation 

 is the preferred method with swine. Since no state indemnity funds are 

 available, it is imperative that we do our best to keep this disease out of 

 our herds. Federal Uniform Methods and Rules, in effect as of January 1, 1982, 

 classify Massachusetts an "A" state in Brucellosis. We hope to attain "Zero" 

 status within Fiscal Year 1984. 



TUBERCULOSIS 



In humans, tuberculosis is endemic the world over and has, in recent 

 years, made a resurgence in major United States cities. This has led to 

 increased vigilance against the disease on farms and all cattle (dairy 

 goats) in Massachusetts are tested regularly, although we are fortunate 

 not to have had a reactor in more than two years. Testing and the MCI pro- 

 gram will continue; this disease is still very real. During fy 1982, 18,715 

 cattle were tested, representing close to 85% of our known cattle population. 



HOG CHOLERA AND OTHER SWINE DISEASES 



The entire country has been free of Hog Cholera during fy 1982 although 

 strong surveillance procedures continue in use. With greatly increasing 

 numbers of tourists and world travellers, the risk of importing disease 

 increases every year. Massachusetts permits the feeding of meat-containing 

 garbage to swine, but requires that it be cooked before feeding. This heat 

 treatment is the main protection we have against the possibility that raw 

 pork, from another country, becomes the means of introducing either Hog 

 Cholera or African Swine Fever. 



48 



