B—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. December 2, 1972 Disease Eradication Measures Taken Acting Secretary of Agriculture Richard Lyng recently declared an ex traordinary emergency to permit the U.S. Deparrment of Agriculture (USDA) to assume additional responsibility for the efforts to eradicate exotic Newcastle disease of poultry and other birds from southern California. He emphasized that the action was being taken in full agreement with the California Department of Agriculture and following notification from California officials that a local court decision has invalidated their authority to carry out key components in the eradication program USDA said that im plementation of this new Federal authority is essential because any further delay will jeopardize the success of the eradication effort and could be responsible for spread of the disease to other parts of California and to other States. Animal and Plant Health In spection Service (APHIS) of ficials in California said that activities under the new ex traordinary emergency declaration will remain the same as they have been for the past seven months. They pointed out that USDA and the California Department of Agriculture have cooperated completely on the joint effort to eradicate the disease and that this cooperation will continue The program to indemnify owners of poultry which must be destroyed will remain in effect as will Watch Excess Corn in Dairy Ration Dairymen who place a heavy normal fermentation. Over dependency on com as silage and matured silage often does not gram m the cow’s ration may find ferment sufficiently to keep down a loss in production unless proper mold growth and other ab gram-forage balancing is carried normalities,” Dr. Adams ex out, an Extension dairy specialist plains. at Pennsylvania State Univer- The most common problems sity, points out. encountered with heavy use of Dr Richard S. Adams, corn as silage and grain for high speaking at the annual Forage producing cows are a fiber and Seed Conference on the Penn content that is too digestible, a State campus, said that when lack of total fiber content, and too corn silage provides most of all of little protein and calcium, the forage fed, it is important to Dr. Adams points out that these avoid both under or over- problems can be alleviated in maturity. most cases if about 25 percent of “Silage that is too immature the forage ration comes from will result in a high lactic acid forage other than corn. content and possibly cause ab- restrictions on shipments of live poultry and eggs from the quarantined area and the vac cination of commercial poultry. An essential element of the program now is the continued use of sentinel birds as a key diagnostic tool in locating and eliminating exotic Newcastle disease. Under the new action USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will continue the use of the sentinel birds. This procedure, recommended to USDA by a scientific advisory group, has been primarily responsible for making it possible to locate remaining areas of infection and reduce the size of the originally quarantined area. Since last March when the national emergency was declared by. USDA for exotic Newcastle disease, over $25,000,000 in Federal funds have been expended in the campaign. Progress made to date in the l program has enabled reduction in the quarantine zone from the original coverage of eight counties and about 45,000 square miles to less than 2,300 square miles covering parts of three counties - Ventura, San Ber nardino, and Riverside. APHIS officials emphasized that the eradication program has reached a critical stage. It is essential for success of the program to be able to determine specifically where any infection may be located in the remaining quarantined area Until this is determined, through the use of sentinel birds, the program cannot be completed. The new Federal action also provides authority for USDA to dispose of any infected and exposed flocks that are found. They also pointed out the economic consequences of allowing the disease to spread, estimating potential national losses of up to $5OO million an nually. They also reminded consumers that exotic Newcastle disease presents no hazard in the consumption of eggs and poultry meat. The extraordinary emergency is expected to remain in effect until such time as court imposed restraints on California’s regulatory authority in this matter are removed. PORTABLE Pressure Cleaner * High Pressure - 600 to 700 P.S.I. Pressure Klean WICK LEANER - Cleaning Farm Equipment - Fly Spraying - Disenfecting - Dairy Barns & Hog Houses ZIMMERMAN'S ANIMAL HEALTH SUPPLY Wood Corner Rd. Lititz.Pa. Ph. 733-4466 or 656-9818 TRY A CLASSIFIED AD - IT PAYS! rfHWSTMfISTARM TOYS] I 10% DISCOUNT I I Shop Early While Selection Is Good | ! CENTRAL TRACTOR PARTS | | 1590 MANHEIM PIKE S I LANCASTER, PA. PH. 569-0111 5
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