8 
Farmers' Bulletin 1069. 
LOSSES OF MEAT FOOD PRODUCTS. 
Records kept by the Meat Inspection Division of the bureau show 
the great financial loss caused by tuberculosis every year. They also 
indicate how widespread tuberculosis in cattle and swine is in the 
United States, as the establishments in which the diseased animals 
were slaughtered are in all parts of the country. More than that, 
only about 65 per cent of the cattle and swine, it is estimated, are 
slaughtered each year in establishments under Federal supervision, 
so that about 35 per cent of these classes of animals slaughtered 
each year in the United States do not appear in these records. It 
is known also that the percentage of tuberculosis is greater in the 
uninspected animals. In view of these points the losses shown in 
the following table are believed to be scarcely one-half of the total 
loss throughout the country. 
When animals are “retained” by the Federal inspectors on account 
of tuberculosis it means that some evidence of the disease is discovered 
and the carcass is placed aside for further examination. If the 
disease is found to be so slight as to render the undiseased portion 
of the carcass fit for food, the diseased area is removed and the remain¬ 
der is passed. It will be noted that such is the case in most carcasses 
retained, but some loss occurs for the reason that the diseased portions 
found unfit for food would have a considerable value if healthy. 
In the animals that are retained and when the disease is not 
extensive enough to cause condemnation of the entire carcass, the 
disease is in most cases in the early stages. Had the animals been 
allowed to live for possibly only a short time longer, the disease 
would have progressed until all the carcass would have to be con¬ 
sidered diseased. In others the lesion of disease lias become sur¬ 
rounded by tissue that “locks it up” and prevents it from spreading 
to other parts of the body. Such a condition, however, is liable to 
change at any time during the animal’s life and allow the disease 
to enter other parts of the body, and also to be carried out of the 
body and endanger healthy cattle and swine. 
HOW TO PROCEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT CATTLE 
AND SWINE ARE FREE FROM TUBERCULOSIS. 
Have a competent veterinarian apply the tubercu¬ 
lin test. Remove all reactors promptly, and disinfect 
the premises immediately after the removal of the 
reacting cattle. 
Do not feed any infected dairy products to swine 
or young cattle. 
Retest the herd with tuberculin once a year. 
