DAIRY MEETING. I'-'J 



REVIEW OF BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS IN MAINE 



FOR TWENTY YEARS. 



By John M. Deering, Saco. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 



It has come to pass that the Maine Dairymen's Association 

 has become one of the most important organizations in the State, 

 in promoting and fostering our agricultural industries, for the 

 reason that our conditions are such that dairying is at present, 

 and probably always will be, the foundation upon which the 

 structure of all other branches of agriculture must stand. 



In view of these facts it must be conceded that our cattle 

 industry is of the greatest importance to the future prosperity 

 of our State. 



In taking into consideration the present condition of our live 

 stock interests, we should be honest and state facts as we find 

 them, bearing in mind that if we find that this industry is show- 

 ing the effects of some unfortunate condition that has crept in 

 upon it, Maine is not to blame, nor alone, for all other states 

 and countries in the civilized world are facing the same condi- 

 tions, and many of them are suffering very much more than 

 Maine. It may be true even at this time, that there are dairy- 

 men and breeders in our own State who do not realize the 

 dangers of tuberculosis to our cattle industry, yet by being 

 present at the International Congress on Tuberculosis, held in 

 Washington in September, and attending all of the sessions held 

 in section VII, which was devoted entirely to "Bovine Tuber- 

 culosis," hearing the reports and papers read by the most noted 

 scientists representing 33 countries of the world, one must 

 realize and must believe; and it would give one an idea how 

 Maine stands in this most important matter. It is very gratify- 

 ing to your Cattle Commission to be able to report that Maine 

 is in the front rank in the small per cent of diseased cattle, and 

 that our laws and regulations in controlling tuberculosis among 

 our herds are amongst the most efficient of any state or country 

 in the civilized world. While this does not mean that we are 

 perfect, it should at least be encouraging to the dairyman and 

 breeder of Maine. 



