TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF PULLORUM 

 DISEASE ERADICATION IN MASSACHUSETTS 



1948-49 



By the Poultry Disease Control Laboratory- ' 



INTRODUCTION 



The pullorum testing results for 1948-49 continue to show progress in pul- 

 lorum disease eradication in Massachusetts. The volume of testing work was 

 slightly less than that of the previous season. The average percentage of posi- 

 tive tests was 0.04 which is the lowest in the testing history of Massachusetts. 

 Likewise the percentage of pullorum "breaks" in previous non-reacting flocks 

 was the lowest for the past ten years of testing. Furthermore 99.1 percent of all 

 the birds tested were in 100 percent tested non-reacting flocks. These results 

 show that pullorum disease eradication is making definite progress in Massachu- 

 setts. 



During the past year the testing operations were carried out with few diffi- 

 culties, and the flocks for the most part were tested at a time requested by the 

 flock owners. It is hoped that the close co-operation existing among the flock 

 owners, laboratory, and other agencies ma\- continue in order to carry out an 

 effective program. 



We also wish to express our appreciation for the assistance given by the Ex- 

 tension Service, the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, and other agen- 

 cies in making this program a success. 



SUMMARY OF SERVICE RENDERED 



Applications received -. 584 



Applications cancelled 15 



Flocks tested -- - 569 



Chicken flocks - -. . 458 



Turkey flocks 82 



Pheasant flocks. 29 



Number of tests 1,241,500 



Chickens: 



Routine 1,196,844 



Experimental 16,229 



Fowl other than chickens: 



Routine... 28,368 



Experimental 59 



Owners receiving necropsy service — 39 



Necropsies of reacting birds 81 



DISTRIBUTION OF TESTS AND REACTORS 



Table 1 gives the number of tests and reactors by breed and count}-. A total 

 of 1,213,073 samples was received from chicken flocks in 12 counties. The per- 



■ H. Van Roekel. Research Professor in Charge; K. L. Bullis and G. H. Snoeyenbos, Research 

 Professors; O. S. Flint, F. G. Sperling, and Miriam K. Clarke, Assistant Research Professors; O. M. 

 Olesiuk, A. M. Crotty, and S. M. OGrady, Research Assistants. Appreciation is extended to Dr. 

 J. B. Lentz, Head of the Department of Veterinary Science, for the assistance given to the testing 

 work. 



