138 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



SHIPMENTS FROM QUARANTINED AREAS. 



The number of cattle of the quarantined area shipped under 

 bureau supervision to market centers for immediate slaughter was 

 463,985, which is a considerable decrease from the preceding year. 

 Many cattle owners in tick-eradication localities have shown a dis- 

 position to ship for slaughter as many unprofitable cattle as pos- 

 sible in preference to dipping them. This was done with a view of 

 procuring, after ticks are eradicated, better-bred animals likely to 

 be more profitable for breeding purposes. At public stockyards 

 90,077 cattle were dipped and certified for movement as noninf ected, 

 for which 742 certificates were issued. At points other than public 

 stockyards, in areas where cattle are regularly dipped to eradicate 

 ticks, 90,618 cattle were inspected or dipped and certified for inter- 

 state movement as noninfected, as provided for in the regulations. 

 To cover the shipments of these cattle 520 certificates were issued. 



TUBERCULOSIS ERADICATION DIVISION. 



The results obtained in the work for the control and eradication 

 of bovine tuberculosis, conducted by the Tuberculosis Eradication 

 Division under the direction of Dr. J. A. Kiernan, chief, affords 

 many sources for gratification. The 5-year period ending with this 

 fiscal year was largely one of organization, and the past year, in ad- 

 dition to the results obtained in the actual testing of cattle, was 

 largely devoted to solidifying cooperation among the many parties 

 interested, namely, the State livestock authorities, practicing vet- 

 erinarians, farm bureau agencies, livestock breeders' associations, 

 public health officials, and others. With few exceptions the spirit 

 of harmony and cooperation existing between these forces and the 

 bureau is all that could be expected under the circumstances and 

 in the period of time which has elapsed since organizing the work, 

 in addition much has been done toward gathering the necessary 

 data and statistics upon which plans for the complete eradication of 

 tuberculosis in livestock in the various States and smaller county 

 units must be based. The data which are probably of most value 

 pertain to the incidence of the disease in every county in the United 

 States. It appears that in 46.4 per cent of the total area of the 

 United States, containing 41.2 per cent of all the cattle in the coun- 

 try, only 0.6 per cent of the cattle are tuberculous. This is con- 

 tradictory to the impression which has probably existed that a ma- 

 jority of the cattle in the country are found in the areas known to 

 be more or less heavily infected. As a matter of fact only 15.3 per 

 cent of the cattle of the country in 5.5 per cent of the entire area are 

 regarded as being badly diseased, these figures representing areas 

 containing more than 10 per cent of diseased cattle. 



The data used in compiling these figures were furnished by 

 bureau and State officials in each State and were based upon their 

 knowledge of conditions in each county as evidenced by actual 

 tuberculin tests and b}^ other relatively accurate means of estima- 

 tion. A close study of tliese figures warrants the belief that with a 

 continuation of present progress it should be practicable to render a 

 number of States practically free from the disease before many 



