CHAPTER XVI 



THE CONTROL OF TUBERCULOSIS 



221. General herd sanitation. — The profitable dairy herd 

 must be made up of sound, healthy cattle. The diseased animal is 

 not an efficient producer and such an animal is frequently a menace 

 to the herd through the spread of the disease to others. The first 

 essential for a healthy herd is the practice of sanitation — that is, 

 keeping disease away from the herd in so far as possible, and pre- 

 venting its spread when it does get in, by the use of whatever 

 measures the nature of the specific disease may require. The 

 successful dairyman must practice disease prevention. The cure 

 of disease falls primarily in the realm of the veterinarian and his 

 services should be sought wherever the value of the animal justifies 

 it. The good dairyman should know how to recognize the symp- 

 toms of the common ailments, since many of them will respond 

 to simple remedies which he can apply. Others require the serv- 

 ices of a veterinarian. Even the simplest troubles may develop 

 to the point where a veterinarian must be called if the animal is to 

 be cured. Thus a knowledge of symptoms will help one to decide 

 when a veterinarian should be called. 



As regards general sanitation, the following will help keep the 

 herd healthy: plenty of good, clean, palatable feed; light, well- 

 ventilated, dry quarters; clean stables, stalls and mangers, and 

 plenty of fresh, clean water. 



222. The tuberculosis problem. — Everyone is familiar with 

 the strenuous campaign that is being waged against bovine tuber- 

 culosis. This disease has spread from herd to herd and from animal 

 to animal until its annual toll has reached enormous figures. Not 

 only is the disease a serious menace to the dairy industry, but also 

 it is taking its toll of human lives by its transmission to babies 

 through infected milk. It is high time that tuberculosis is stamped 

 out. That success here is possible has been shown by the results 

 of the nation-wide plan for cleaning up the disease started five 



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