Greenwood County History- Tuberculosis
“J.W. Farmer, Greenwood County agent notified the public that the testing of cattle in the county was starting in February of 1929, under the supervision of the State Livestock Sanitary Commission, with the cooperation of the United States Bureau of Animal Industry. Dr. R.B. Christenson, of the livestock sanitary commissioner’s office was to direct the work. Two veterinarians were going to start to test in Eureka township and two or three more vets will begin in Salt Springs or Otter Creek townships. More men will be added to the force later, so as to cover the county as rapidly as possible.
The veterinarians will visit all the farms in the county where milk or breeding cattle are kept. This includes all cows used for milking purposes, dairy bulls, heifers, calves over two or three months of age, stock cows and calves, and purebred beef cattle. The only exceptions are steers and fattening cows or heifers in the feedlot, which will not be tested. The test is compulsory, as the object of the test is to get rid of all the disease spreaders in the county.
As soon as the cattle on each farm have been tested, no milk or breeding stock can lawfully be moved on to the farm unless they have been tested for tuberculosis.
Each cattle owner will be notified by postal card a day or two ahead of time when to have the cattle ready. They can be kept in the barn or in a lot ready to be put in the barn. Wild cattle will require a chute, or similar arrangement. Perhaps in some cases a fence can be built along the side of a building, as to form a narrow lane for three or more cattle at a time. The testing is done very quickly, as the process is simple and the men are all experienced state accredited veterinarians. Several local vets who have passed a special federal examination for accredited vets are employed to do part of the testing. These men are all anxious to test the county as rapidly as possible, so that job will be done before the cattle are moved to grass. The co-operation of all farmers is needed, because if one man causes a delay, the other farmers who are to be visited that day will be inconvenienced.”
