140 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 0£f. Doc. 



Ill coiicludiiiji- iiiv report upon the .Meal lly<;i(Mi(' Service, it may 

 he interest ill};' lo note lliat tlir(m,i;liniit the vcar tliere were 2,710 live 

 animals examined at siaugiifer houses consisting of 1,2V>H cattle; 

 l.\Ki calves; ITS sheep and (JSl hogs. Xinnher of animals ([uarantined 

 amonnted to '.jSl); of which IS') were cattle, TS were calves and 20 

 ^\■ere hogs. 



TUBERCULOSIS 



The most important work of the State Livestock Sanitary Board 

 (hiring the year consisted in the repression of tnbercnlosis. This 

 disease is one that is fcjuiid in everv couni\ of the State, though 

 some counties are more free than others. This is well slnnvn in 

 the table which will follow, and upon examining the same it will 

 be found that no applications were received for inspection and ap- 

 plication of the tuberculin tests in eleven counties. The fact must 

 not be lost sight of that the tuberculin tests of herds is entirely 

 voluntary on the owner's i)art and is therefore not compulsory. 

 However, it is within the jurisdiction of the State Livestock Sanitary 

 Board to ([uarantine and remove any animal or animals afflicted 

 with tuberculosis to such an extent that it can be determined by 

 physical examination. 



I find that the average farmer and dairyman are prone to forget 

 after their herd has been tuberculin tested, two essential features, 

 which are the inspection and re-testing of their herds within one 

 year's time and the thorough disinfection of their barns following 

 the initial tuberculin test. 1 cannot impress too strongly upon the 

 tuberculin testing of every newly purchased animal before the same 

 enters the herd. 



During the past year 10,429 animals for dairy ]>urposes have been 

 examined and tuberculin tested. These animals were distributed in 

 1,079 herds ; making an average of between 9 and 10 animals per 

 herd. The number of animals examined physically was 1,S93, com- 

 ing from 235 herds, making an average of between 8 and 9 animals 

 per herd. 



Of the 10,429 animals tuberculin tested, 1,525 or 14 per cent, 

 reacted, all of which were disposed of according to the rules and 

 regulations of the State Livestock Sanitary Board. Those examined 

 physically consisting of 1,893 animals, 239 or 12 per cent, were 

 condemned and appraised, and destroyed. 



It is to be hoped that the next legislature will see fit to grant a 

 larger appropriation for the payment of indemnity for animals 

 afflicted with contagious, dangerous or infectious diseases. In this 

 manner greater progress can be made in detecting and quarantining 

 animals afflicted with tuberculosis. If a badly tuberculous animal 

 is permitted to enter a herd it is capable of destroying 50 per cent, 

 of the value of that herd \Nithin one year's time. In conclusion, I 

 beg to state that it is my belief that the suppression of a disease 

 as important as tubercnlosis lies in the early detection of an animal 

 afflicted with the disease. In other words, to isolate and quarantine 

 all animals suffering with tuberculosis l)efore they are capable of 

 transmitting the disease or contaminating the stable. 



The following table will give a detailed statement by counties of 

 the number of animals examined and condemned during the year 

 1910: 



