HOUSING AND CARE OF COWS 97 



lias been much tuberculosis in the herd. One tuberculous cow- 

 may infect the entire herd. While one has tuberculous animals 

 they should be kept in a separate barn from healthy animals. Ac- 

 cording to the present New York State law tuberculous cows may 

 be kept under restrictions according to what is known as the Bang 

 system. That is tuberculous cows are kept in a separate stable 

 and their calves removed, as soon as born, and fed on the mother's 

 milk after it has been pasteurized at 185 F. These include animals 

 which are only known to be diseased because they react to the tuber- 

 culin test, while those cows are killed which show physical signs 

 of tuberculosis — especially disease of the womb, udder, and lungs 

 in which germs are spread broadcast by discharge from the womb, 

 from udder to milk, and in manure from the blood or from swallow- 

 ing of discharge coughed from lungs. 



When the calves are born they are suckled only for the first 

 day. There should be two sets of barn employees if possible ; one 

 for the tuberculous and the other for the healthy animals. Also 

 two sets of barn utensils of every kind. The stock must likewise 

 be separated in pasture and the calves tested every six months with 

 tuberculin. This method is of value when the cows are valuable. 

 Calves should not be allowed in a stable with milch cows as they 

 may spread infection. 



The milk of cows which are being tested with tuberculin may 

 be used, providing that they do not react to the test. All cows 

 should be identified by metal tags in the ears containing a number 

 or other mark. Such tags are also necessary to separate those 

 which have been tubereulin-tested. 



Cows with garget (having caked udders, or pus (slime) and 

 blood in the milk) should be milked by one who does not milk the 

 other cows, and animals about to calve should be kept apart from 

 the herd. Milk is now condemned in cities which is found to con- 

 tain an excess of germs (streptococci) and pus from inflamed 

 udders. Diseased udders are more apt to be found immediately be- 



