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Show September 1974 Utah Farm Bureau News Page 5 Brucellosis: threat wi houf a simple cure other animals and man can act as a means of spreading infection. Under certain circumstances, the organism will live for weeks outside the bodv. Diagnosis must be based on bacteriological or serological examinations. Brucella abortus mav be recovered from the placenta, aborted fetus, genital tract, the udder, the milk, and associated lymph nodes. A blood serum agglutination test is the most practical and reliable method of diagnosing. Screening diagnostic procedures include the following: 1. Milk Ring Test (BRT) for the By F. James Schoenfeld, D.V.M. Utah State Veterinarian and Cecil E. John, V.M.O. Brucellosis Epidomologist Brucellosis (Bangs Disease) is a specific contagious disease primarily affecting cattle, swine, goats, and dogs. It is caused by bacteria of the Brucella group and characterized by abortion in the female and to a lesser extent by Orchitis and infection of the accessory sex glands in the male and infertility in both sexes. The disease also affects sheep. Brucellosis ocasionally affects horses where it is associated with fistulous withers and poll evil. The human disease is also called undulant or malta fever. Brucellosis in cattle (contagious abortion. Bangs disease) is caused almost exclusively by Brucella Abortus. The appearance of the infection in herd that has been free of the disease by rapid spread and many abortions. In a herd where the disease has been present, the typical infected animal aborts only once after exposure, and thereafter she appears normal. Following exposure, most cattle develop a persistant infection and a positive blood serum reaction. The organism is shed in the milk and in the uterine discharges. Many cows shed Brucellae from the uterus at apparently normal calvings. Natural transmission of the disease is through ingestion of the bacteria that are present in large numbers of the aborted fetus, membranes and uterine discharge. Cattle may ingest feed or water that is contaminated with the brucellae bacteria. Other contaminating factors may be involved. Mechanical vectors, such as dogs. is characterized Money for Part of a healthy herd, these dairy cows are kept safe from brucellosis by program of control and prevention. official control and eradication of Brucellosis on an area basis is performed on all dairy herds four times a year. Where positive herds are found, a follow-up blood test is performed, and reactors are sent to slaughter. 2. Market cattle identification y herds in the state are (MCI): screened for Brucellosis by testing the marketed cattle. These cattle destined for slaughter are blood tested at the packing house. Reactors are traced to the herd of origin, and cattle of the herd are tested. The reactors are sent to slaughter. Non-dair- Land Bank people have grown up with agriculture. They know livestock, land use, markets and how careful financial planning can smooth the way ahead. A long-terLand Bank loan offers convenient repayment options; prepayment privilege without penalty, and 'proven loan m ItevaSSinait -- we can help source dependability thats been all the way with agriculture for nearly 60 years. Drop by, soon, where agriculture comes first! 3. The use of a supplementary test is employed in herds where Brucellosis has not been eradicated. Card test, the official Utah State diagnostic test, com- pliment fixation, and revanol precipitation test are primarily designed to detect the Ig G Antibodies that are associated with brucella infection. There is no effective treatment known for Brucellosis in cattle. Efforts are directed to control and prevention. Eradication of the disease depends on testing and elimination of reactors. Infected herds must be tested at regular intervals until two to three successive negative tests are obtained. Reactors are to be removed and the premises thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Infected herds are quarantined. Clean herds must be protected from The greatest danger is from replacement animals. When adding replacements, .they should be vaccinated calves or nonpregnant heifers. If pregnant or fresh cows, they should originate from Brucellosis-free herds and be negative to the agglutination test. Segregate replacements from the herd for 30 days and them before permitting them to associate with the main herd. Vaccination with Br. Abortus , Strain 19, is used in calves and is effective in increasing resistance to infection. Resistance is not complete and will break depending upon the severity of the exposure. Some of these animals become persistent positive or suspicious reactors to the agglutination test, which can cause confusion in diagnosis. Proper age vaccination of eligible female cattle is essential (dairy, 6 months, and beef, 8 months). It should be done in the approved manner by a licensed veterinarian or approved Department of Agriculture technician. Proper identification and reporting is essential. Vaccination has been a good means of control of Brucellosis; the degree of re-te- st 3-- 3-- Rroimn I reduction of reactors is directly related to the degree of calfhood vaccination practiced. Eradication is by test and slaughter, and vaccination may play a different role. Utah programs will continue as at the present time using the BRT and MCI, testing infected herds and removing reactors, and also cleaning, disinfecting, and quarantining infected herds, testing exposed herds and vaccinating eligible female calves at the proper age. The state will furnish the vaccine to the practicing veterinarian. The veterinarian will vaccinate the livestock owners animals by private treaty. Utah is still a brucellosis-fre- e state. Let us keep our infection low enough to maintain this status, and look forward to the status of zero infection in Utah. Tart cherry meetings draw top UFBF leaders Several top leaders represented the Utah Farm Bureau at two recent meetings for tart cherry growers in the Beehive State. President Elmo Hamilton, executive vice president Booth Wallentine, and commodity activities director John Keeler participated in a meeting held in Provo, September 4. Wallentine and Keeler also attended a meeting in Willard September 5. Purpose of the meetings was to discuss the future of tart cherry marketing in Utah. Harry Foster, manager of the Michigan Farm Bureaus marketing association, and other experts in the specialized field flew in for the sessions. 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