pullet flocks at the start of their production and before they are tested. Both 

 practices are not only violations of the oSicial regulation but they constitute a verv 

 dangerous practice, which may disseminate pullorum infection to other nonreacting 

 flocks. Too much is taken for granted that a flock with a negative testing history 

 will continue to be negative. If flock owners would realize the dangers involved, it 

 would seem that such practices would be eliminated. 



The majority of the birds are tested in the fall and winter months, which con- 

 stitute the peak months relative to volume of work in the field and in the laboratory. 

 As soon as the flocks become five months of age, flock owners are urged to test them. 

 This will tend to level off" the peak load of work which comes in October, November, 

 December, and January. During the late fall and winter months the field work in 

 collecting samples becomes more difficult because of weather conditions. Further- 

 more, it is extremely difficult or impossible to employ personnel for just a few 

 months. Therefore, flock owners can aid the testing program greatly by testing 

 birds during the summer and early fall months providing the birds are five months 

 of age. 



The following summary lists the volume of tests by months: 



Months Number of Tests 



April, 1952 28,576 



May 36,749 



June 52,164 



July 85,910 



August 119,535 



September 131,851 



October 195,831 



November 159,205 



December 161,927 



January 144,290 



February 48,883 



March 35,789 



April, 1953 3,164 



1,203,874 



Filing Requests for Testing: All flock owners desiring pullorum testing 

 service are sent an application. These application cards giving the necessary in- 

 formation requested are to be returned to the Department of Veterinary Science. 

 During the last few years an increasing number of flock owners have not been filing 

 their applications until late in the season when their flocks are ready to be tested, 

 and they expect testing service on short notice. On the other hand, some flock 

 owners will file a request for a certain testing date, only to cancel it after the labora- 

 tory has scheduled the time for the blood collector. Late cancellations of testing 

 dates upset the routing in the laboratory, and frequently our blood collectors may 

 lose a day's work. Also, some flock owners telephone the laboratory requesting 

 immediate service, which usually cannot be given. 



The routing of the blood collectors and the collection of the samples can be 

 improved, if the flock owners will file their applications early and, when the time 

 approaches to test the flock, notify the laboratory at least two to three weeks prior 

 to the date of test so that field work can be planned and executed in an efficient and 

 economical manner. We ask all the flock owners to cooperate in this matter. 



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