The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE Proprietor. TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1897.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 174, 24 August 1897, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE Proprietor. TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1897.

A BULLKTix of the New Jersey experimental station, U.S.A., describes the steps which have heen taken in Denmark to stamp out tuberculosis. Although the carrying out of the system is to a large extent impracticable in this country at the present time, it is well that farmers should know what is being done in the foremost dairying country of the world to eradicate this disease from cattle. The system in vogue in Denmark is the result of almost exhaustive experiments by Professor Bang, who claims that if the rules he has laid down are followed that the disease will disappear from any infected herd. There are no less than ten stages in the treatment —(1) The herd is inspected by a veterinary, and all evidently tuberculous animals are removed and carefully slaughtered. (2) The remainder of the herd is tested with tuberculin, which is supplied by the Government free provided the farmer agrees to follow the remaining steps of the process. Professor l?ang depends largely udou the tuberculin, but admits that it is not in all cases reliable, and (hat re-action is not legal proof that an animal is tuherculous, neither is he prepared to afiirrn that undesirable and unlooko.l for consequences may not follow the inoculations, lie has not, however, noted any mishaps, and uses tuberculin as the best ugent at his disposal. (3) All cows that re-act, and all adult animals of little value that have shown evident re-action are carefully slaughtered under inspection. If the beef is prime, the carcase is marked as having been slaughtered as tuberculous beef. Those who buy it secure it at half price, and it is averred that if it is thoroughly cooked it is as .-safe as any other beef. (-1) The remaining re-acting animals —the young of both sexes and the prime bullocks—are separated from the non re-acting and great precautions are taken to prevent the two classes from intermingling or coming into contact. If one man feeds and cares for all the animals he serves the second division first. Then he changes his over-shoes and outer garments and puts on special clothing which is only worn when he is at work with the re-acting division. (')) The cowhouses and stalls used by both departments are carefully and elaborately cleaned and disinfected with either chloride of lime, carbolic acid, or corrosive sublimate. (6) All the milk from reacting animals is to be heated to 183' Fahr. and none is to be given to calves unless so treated. (7) All calves dropped by re-acting cows (presumably those not slaughtered) are put with the non-re-acting division before they get a chance to suckle. For the first day only they receive the mother's milk (colostrum) after it has been heated to 119- Fahr. (8) The sound or non-re-acting herd are tested a second time within a year and all re-acting animals removed to the other division, (9) All cows newly bought are to be tested at once. (10) The re-acting herd should be inspected by " Physical examination " at least once a year to discover if any cases have become so advanced in tuberculosis as to show " physical signs" of the disease, and if so they an; to be sent to the slaughter-house as tuberculous beef. It is claimed that if the above methods are pursued the herd will become free from the disease.