298 agriculture; of maine. 



tura) Committee and asked that the law be amended, so that 

 aU pure blood animals coming into Maine from another state 

 might be tested within 30 days of arrival under the direction 

 of the Commission ; also that all pure blood animals sold within 

 the State be tested before delivery. 



At this time the Commissioners were discouraged, knowing 

 by their experience that the disease was rapidly increasing and 

 that unless something was done to check it, what money had 

 been appropriated would be practically thrown away. This 

 was an experiment, and many pure blood breeders were dis- 

 couraged, and some were going out of the business. They 

 were skeptical and felt that the law would be of great loss to 

 them ; but after careful consideration, they soon began to co- 

 operate w^ith the Commissioners and the testing of pure blood 

 herds began. During the first two years there were 909 head 

 tested and 201 condemned, or over 20% found diseased. 



During the same period 26 pure blood cattle were shipped 

 into the State and found to be diseased, and were destroyed 

 without compensation to the owner. 



These cattle were bulls mostly, purchased for use at the 

 head of grade herds throughout the State. Allowing 10 cattle 

 to each herd, 260 head would have been exposed to the disease 

 through these bulls. 



The two following years, the percentage of disease in the 

 pure blood herds dropped to 5% and in the last two years to 



These facts are proved by the records and this feature is 

 worth more to the State than all of the money appropriated 

 during the whole six years put together. What would have 

 been the result if the State had not taken it in hand six years 

 ago? 



The Federal Government has taken the position that it is 

 willing to test at its expense all interstate shipments of cattle 

 (and made arrangements), and Dr. jNIelvin states that the 

 Government is ready to do the work, provided the owner would 

 pay the traveling expenses and other necessary expenses. This 

 proposition the Commissioners have not as yet accepted, as 

 our law will not allow of it. 



In speaking of grade cattle, it is altogether a different propo- 

 sition ; but we do know that keeping the diseased pure blood 

 bulls from being put at the head of sound grade herds is a 



