REPORT OF THE CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 



To the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture: 



A meeting of the cattle commissioners was held in Detroit on the 6th Oct. 

 (188v), at which Messrs. Mann and Murray were present. The business com- 

 ing under the consideration of the commissioners was discussed, and the fol- 

 lowing conclusions were arrived at: 



1. What the measures recommended by the commissioners in the report, 

 which they made to the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture in 1880, are 

 calculated to prevent the spread of contagious diseases among animals, to estab- 

 lish a proper system of meat inspection in the State, and to reform abuses con- 

 nected with the sale of milk ; and they hope that the next Legislature will 

 give that attention to the subject which its importance demands. 



2. The commissioners recommend that a committee of the Legislature be 

 appointed to examine witnesses as to the losses occasioned by contagious 

 diseases in this State, so that the Legislature may ascertain whether the legis- 

 lation is necessary which the commissioners have advised. 



3. That the remuneration of the commissioners for their past expenses and 

 services, and for their future expenses and services should be fixed by the State 

 Board of Agriculture. 



The commissioners have but little to add to the information contained in 

 their previous report. They may state, however, that they consider that the 

 annual loss which is occasioned by the spread of contagious diseases is not 

 diminishing. One of th?ir number, under instructions from the United States 

 Treasury Cattle Commission, visited Jackson on 2d Oct. to inquire into the 

 losses which had occurred among a valuable herd of Ayrshire cattle during 

 the State Fair. Four of those animals had died, and it had been reported to 

 Dr. Baker, of the State Board of Health, that many considered that they had 

 died of the lung plague, which is prevalent in some of the Eastern States. 

 The investigation was made under some disadvantage, as the herd of Ayrshire 

 cattle had been removed from Jackson before Mr. Murray's arrival, but 

 all the evidence which could be obtained rather indicated that the cattle had 

 died of Texas fever. The loss of those valuable animals shows the necessity of 

 the legislation which the commissioners recommend. 



Mr. Murray has also been several times called on to investigate outbreaks of 

 disease among swine, the nature of which was not known to their owners. In 

 those cases an examination showed that the losses were occasioned by the 

 spread of swine fever or hog cholera, though previous to such examination 

 they had been supposed to be dying of black tooth, from improper feeding 



