THE MORE COMMON AILMENTS OF CATTLE 425 



possible the removal of tuberculous animals when 

 present and to prevent any that are infected from com- 

 ing into the herd. Injudicious and close confinement 

 are no doubt responsible for the much greater prevalence 

 of tuberculosis among pure-bred herds than among other 

 cattle. Too close breeding must be shunned and also 

 environment that tends to enfeeble. Rugged cattle, of 

 course, have far greater resistant power to germs that 

 produce tuberculosis than cattle that are enfeebled. 

 Every reasonable attention- should be given to sanita- 

 tion ; that is, to furnishing stables dry, well ventilated, 

 and with provision for access to much sunlight. Nor 

 should the animals be closely confined in these even in 

 winter, though something should be sacrificed in milk 

 production from cows, for instance, in order to give 

 them the necessary exercise. 



When cattle are tested and found tuberculous, they 

 should be slaughtered under proper inspection when not 

 specially valuable as breeders. This may be conven- 

 iently done at the stock yards. When thus slaughtered 

 the carcass may be used in whole or in part as food. 

 Should they be condemned as unfit for such use, in many 

 of the states provision is rightfully made for compensat- 

 ing the owners for a large proportion of the loss. Should 

 the animals be considered too valuable for breeding to 

 justify immediate slaughter, they may be managed after 

 the Bang system. 



The Bang system means: (i) The careful separa- 

 tion of the healthy from the unhealthy cattle as in- 

 dicated by the tuberculin test, to prevent the occurrence 

 of further infection. The aim should be to give them 

 separate stables, yards, drinking places, and pastures. 

 (2) That the calves shall be reared apart from the dams 

 on sterilized milk from the same or on the milk of 

 healthy cows. Sterilized milk is milk heated to a boil- 

 ing temperature and maintained at the same for five to 

 ten minutes in the case of tuberculous infection to 



