DISTRIBUTION OF TESTS AND REACTORS 



Table 1 gives the number of tests and reactors by counties. The 1,238,983 

 samples tested showed only 0.13 percent reactors. Flocks owners in thirteen 

 counties were, given testing service. No reactors were detected among birds 

 tested in three counties (Berkshire, Dukes, and Suffolk); while five counties 

 (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Worcester) each had less than 0.1 

 percent reactors. Middlesex, Plymouth, Worcester, Norfolk, and Bristol coun- 

 ties led in the number of samples tested, all exceeding 150,000. 



The following breeds were tested: Bantam, Barnevelder, Barred Plymouth 

 Rock, Brahma, Columbian, Crosses, Cornish, New Hampshire, Rhode Island 

 Red, Silver Faverolles, White American, White Leghorn, White Plymouth Rock, 

 and White Wyandotte. The predominant breeds are Rhode Island Red, Barred 

 Plymouth Rock, and New Hampshire. Of the total samples, 52.9 percent were 

 taken from the Rhode Island Red, 21.5 percent from the Barred Plymouth Rock, 

 20.5 percent from the New Hampshire, and the balance from the other breeds 

 listed. 



Of the 1;125,574 samples collected from females, 60,008 were from hens and 

 1,065,566 from pullets, with 03 and 0.14 percent reactors, respectively. The 

 113,409 samples collected from males gave 0.07 percent positive tests. 



ANNUAL TESTING OF FLOCKS 



The results from flocks tested for the first time, intermittently, for two con- 

 secutive years, and for three or more consecutive years are given in Table 2. 



The 93 flocks tested for the first time represented 96,580 tests of which 0.23 

 percent were positive. In this group, 85 flocks containing 88.8 percent of the 

 birds, were found to be non-reacting, and 8 flocks were positive. The average 

 number of birds per flock was 990. 



The group tested intermittently was the smallest of the four, both in number 

 of flocks and in number of birds tested; and the average percentage of positive 

 tests was the highest. Six of the flocks were positive; and 33, representing 89.2 

 percent of the birds, were non-reacting. The average number of birds per flock 

 was 1,847. These results substantiate previous observations which indicate 

 that intenmittent testing is not a sound procedure in establishing or maintaining 

 a pullorum-free flock. 



In the group tested for two consecutive years, 86 flocks were npn-reacting 

 and 4 were positive. The average percentage of infection was smaller than in 

 the first two groups. Approximately 96.7 percent of the birds tested in this 

 group are in non-reacting flocks. The average number of birds per flock was 

 2,304. 



The group tested for three or more consecutive >ears was by far the largest 

 of the four groups and showed the smallest percentage of positive tests. A total 

 of 330 non-reacting flocks was detected, which contained 97 5 percent of the 

 birds in this group. The average flock size was 2,307 birds. These results 

 show that flocks which were tested annually have made more progress in pullorum 

 eradication than flocks tested for the first time or intermittently. 



For the four groups as a whole, 562 flocks were tested, representing 1,156,147 

 birds, and 1,238,983 samples of which 0.13 percent were positive. The 515 

 flocks which were 100 percent tested and non-reacting contained 1,098,417 

 birds, or 95 percent of the total birds tested. The 28 flocks classified as positive 

 represented 44,104 birds or 3.81 percent of the total birds tested. 



It should be mentioned that 108 or 20 percent of the flocks tested in 1945-46 

 did not test this season, This is more than dropped out the previous season. 



