10 



Twenty-Three- Year Testing Summary 



Table 6 gives the testing results for a 23-year testing period. These data are 

 presented to show that pullorum disease can be eradicated from flocks and that 

 flocks can be maintained at such a status. The average individual cannot appre- 

 ciate the full value of the outstanding progress which has been made in eliminating 

 this disease from the majority of breeding flocks in the State. Similar accomplish- 

 ments may be observed in other states where effective measures and high stand- 

 ards of work have been adopted. 



Twenty-Three- Year Pullorum Disease Testing Summary 



*Based on total birds tested: 1927-28, 190,658 birds; 1928-29, 254,512 birds. 



Comments and Suggestions 



Annual Testing: The subject of annual testing cannot be stressed too greatly 

 because it is an apparent fact that one cannot be certain of a flock status if the 

 birds are not tested annually. This statement is borne out by the discussion on 

 the data in Table 3. Considering the scattered foci of pullorum infection in the 

 State, the unrestricted traffic of diseased birds, and other possible factors that 

 may play an important role in the dissemination of the disease, one cannot afford 

 to operate a breeding flock without knowing the pullorum status. 



It is rather alarming to note that 21 percent of the poultrymen who had their 

 flocks tested during the 1941-42 season failed to have a test during 1942-43. 

 Very little can be gained by testing for only one year or testing every other year. 

 Furthermore, official recognition by the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture 

 is not given unless a flock is tested and found free of infection. Official recognition 

 is of distinct value when one sells hatching eggs, chicks, or mature stock. It 



