
TUBERCULOUS COWS AND USE OF THEIR MILK. 161 
hay ration entirely. From the time of birth until June, 1899, 
this animal was kept in the same stable and yard with the 
cows. It was then sold toa farmer living near the Station, 
who was informed of the history of the animal, and has been 
used since that time for breeding purposes. This animal (D) 
was tested with tuberculin December 17-18, 1897, and April 
II-12, and December 22-23, 1898, and June 2-3, 1899, but 
in no case did it give any response to the test. When sold it 
it was a strong, vigorous animal, and seemed large for its age. 
From these records it will be seen that the milk of the four 
cows was fed to four calves for periods varying from three 
months to a year and four months, and that in no case was 
there any sign of the disease during the feeding period. One 
animal (B) did respond to the tuberculin test nearly six months 
after the feeding period with the milk was ended, but from the 
mild form in which the disease then existed it would seem 
doubtful if the disease was contracted from the milk. These 
tests point to the conclusion that the milk of tuberculous cows, 
in the early stages of the disease, is not very likely to transmit 
the disease when fed to healthy calves. 
As will be seen from the records of the history and condi- 
tions of the animals, cows Nos. 1337, 1341, and 1343 produced 
calves in August and September, 1898. It was decided to feed 
several of these calves upon the milk of their dams. These 
feeding tests were continued for about a year. 
Feeding Calves E and F with the milk of Cow 1341.—Calf E 
was a large heifer calf dropped by cow No. 1341, August 11, 
1898; and calf F was a bull calf dropped by a grade cow in the 
college herd about the same date. The dam of calf F was 
supposed to be healthy, but three months after the birth of 
the calf the cow developed a severe case of tuberculosis.* The 
* This cow was tested with tuberculin December 30-31, 1897, but gave no response 
to the test. She calved August 27, 1898, and appeared ina healthy, vigorous condition 
until the herd was placed in winter quarters early 1n November. Soon after, she 
began to refuse silage, and dropped off rapidly in milk flow, but manifested no serious 
symptoms until about ten days after she began to refuse silage. At that time the cow 
began to scour badly, and was placed in a box stall away from the rest of the herd. 
For the next ten days she ran down in flesh rapidly, so that it was thought wise to 
destroy her. A post-mortem examination showed a severe case of tuberculosis, the 
tubercular lesions being present in the liver, the spleen, and the lungs. Some of the 
lesions were encysted in such a way as to indicate that the disease was one of long , 
standing, and it is probable that the tuberculin test which was made eleven months 
previous to the time of killing the cow failed to cause a response, Owing to the 
advanced condition of the disease, or the failure may have been due toa poor lot a 
tuberculin. ‘The cow showed no outward appearance of the disease, and remaine 
in good condition of flesh until she began to refuse her feed early in November, 1898. 
