DAIRY MEETING. I3I 



tary Boards not being able to reach the dairyman and breeder 

 on account of the large per cent of disease among the herds and 

 pubHc sentiment not being strong enough to justify compulsory 

 methods. Dr. Baker reported that on twelve open ranges in 

 California, including 41.000 cattle, 9 1-2% were tuberculous, and 

 in some sections of the middle west tuberculosis was rampant 

 among hogs to almost an alarming extent caused by the hogs 

 following the cattle and picking up their living from the drop- 

 pings of the cattle. i>roving the fact that hogs became diseased 

 from this source. Dr. A. D. Melvin, Chief of the Bureau of 

 Animal Industry at \\'ashington, said, "Wdnile the saving of 

 human life affords the highest motive for combatting tuber- 

 culosis, the prevention of financial loss alone, is sufficient reason 

 for undertaking the eradication of tuberculosis from farm 

 animals." The economic loss on account of tuberculosis in 

 food producing animals is heavy. The loss on animals in which 

 tuberculosis is found in the Federal ^leat Inspection Service, is 

 estimated at $2,382,433 annually, and if the same conditions 

 were applied to animals slaughtered without Federal Inspection, 

 the annual loss would be increased to $4,354,855. The stock 

 on hand is also depreciated in value because of the disease. 

 Assuming that living tubercular milch cows are annually depre- 

 ciated to the extent of one-tenth of what the loss would be if 

 slaughtered, other cattle one-third and hogs one-half, the total 

 depreciation amounts to $8,046,219. The annual loss in the 

 decreased milk production is estimated at $1,150,000. There is 

 also some loss from impaired breeding qualities. Taking all 

 of these losses into account, the annual loss because of tuber- 

 culosis is estimated at not less than $14,000,000. 



Such heavy financial losses make the eradication of tuber- 

 culosis from farm animals very desirable as an economic matter. 

 Of entirely eradicating tuberculosis. I have but very little hope, 

 unless the Federal government steps in and takes a hand in the 

 matter, but it would not be good policy for any state or com- 

 munity to wait for the government because in sections where 

 the disease exists, if nothing is done, it will increase. There 

 is no such thing as its decreasing of its own free will. If dis- 

 ease exists, the longer it is let alone the more there w^ill be 

 among farm animals on account of its infectious character, and 



