Agricultural Research in New Hampshire 53 



Pullorum Testing 



During the fiscal year 1945-46, the staff conducted blood tests for 

 pullorum disease on 1,378,297 hens and related fowl, and retested 101,924 

 birds, making a grand total of 1,480,221 blood samples analyzed. Both 

 the number of fowl tested and the total tests conducted were the greatest 

 in the history of the pullorum-testing program which was inaugurated in 

 1918-19. 



The birds tested were from 869 flocks of which 35 flocks were 

 found to be infected. The infected flocks contained 62,791 birds of 

 which 456 birds reacted to the test. Thus, pullorum disease was found 

 to exist in 4 per cent of the flocks tested and .033 per cent of the birds 

 tested. 



Pullorum disease has been on the increase in New Hampshire as well 

 as in most of the New England States since 1941. This may be directly 

 attributed to the war which brought about a tremendous increase in the 

 poultry population. New poultry farms were started and much stock 

 was introduced from distant states. iMuch of this stock was infected and 

 created new foci of infection. It is hoped that a return to more normal 

 conditions will bring the degree of pullorum disease to the low point en- 

 joyed in 1941. 



F. E. Allen, A. C. Corbett 



Infectious Bronchitis Work 



During the fiscal year 1945-46, 36 poultry flock owners brought 

 birds to the University to be inoculated with infectious bronchitis virus. 

 The virus produces the disease in the birds inoculated but upon recovery 

 they have developed a life-time immunity and thus they will not break 

 down with the disease at some later date when they may be at their peak 

 of production. Although the use of this virus is limited to those farms 

 where infection has existed in the past, the disease seems to be increasing 

 each winter; thus, the demand for inoculations in summer is increasing 

 yearly. The cost for such service is pro-rated among those poultrymen 

 benefitted. 



F. E. Allen, A. C. Corbett 



National Poultry Improvement Plan and 

 National Turkey Improvement Plan 



The National Poultry Improvement Plan (N. P. I. P.) is now in op- 

 eration in 47 states. The official agency for this state is the New Hamp- 

 shire Poultry Improvement Board, Inc., which consists of 10 members 

 from the industry. Co-operating with this agency are the Agricultural 

 Experiment Station and the State Department of Agriculture. 



Approval and Certification. Because of the heavy liquidation 

 of poultry and lack of personnel to make check inspections during 

 the fall months, participation under the plan shows a decrease 

 from the previous year. There were 172 check inspections completed, 

 covering 250,278 birds under Approval and Certification. Had it been 



