CATTLE commissioners' REPORT. 25 1 



sound animals. And the most important question for the Maine 

 dairymen to consider is, whether they will continue to destroy 

 animals by the tuberculin test whenever it is practical, or wheth- 

 er they will condemn in the future only by physical examination. 

 While it seems hard to destroy an animal that has no physical 

 sigfns of tuberculosis, vet it is a fact, if the same animal is al- 

 lowed to remain in the herd until she shows the disease suffi- 

 ciently to make out a case, the chances are ten to one that she 

 has communicated it to the other animals in the herd, and in 

 almost every instance this is the way whole herds become tuber- 

 culous. Xow with the small amount we have in the state as 

 compared with other states, the least of any in the New England 

 states, can the dairymen of Maine afford to allow tuberculosis 

 to increase in their herds by ceasing- to destroy animals that 

 react by the tuberculin test? 



The disinfecting of premises is an important factor in our 

 work and requires quite an expense and quite a portion of the 

 commissioners' time in looking after it. It is our intention to 

 have every crib and stall wherever a diseased animal has stood 

 disinfected. We gauge the expense generally by the condition 

 of the animal ; for instance, if an animal is found to be only 

 slightly affected not as much is done as when the anmial-is found 

 to be badly diseased. The expense causes us to use our judg- 

 ment as to how much shall be done to be safe. There are cases 

 where fifteen to twenty-five dollars have been expended on a sin- 

 gle stable. Generally we divide the expense by agreeing for 

 the owner to do the work and the State pay for the disinfectants. 

 We are expending more money and giving more attention to 

 this part of the work than formerly. 



Number of cattle tested in Portland investigation, 5,130; num- 

 ber condemned, 310; per cent diseased. 6 of the number tested. 



1905 and 1906 — Number of pure blood cattle tested, 935 ; 

 number condemned, 160; number condemned in foreign herds, 

 30 ; per cent diseased, 20 of the number tested. 



Extra expense incurred by new law, $10,000.00; cost of Port- 

 land investigation, $10,200.00. 



