REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Animal Industry, 

 Washing to 71^ D. C, September £8, 1910. 

 Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the oper- 

 ations of the Bureau of Animal Industry for the fiscal year ended 

 June 30, 1910. 



Eespectfully, A. D. Melvin, 



Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agj^iculture. 



INTBODUCTION. 



The work of the Bureau of Animal Industry during the fiscal year 

 ended June 30, 1910, consisted, as heretofore, of the meat inspection, 

 the inspection of animals for export, the inspection and quarantine 

 of imported animals, the eradication of contagious and infectious 

 diseases of live stock, the scientific investigation of such diseases, 

 investigations in the breeding and feeding of live stock and poultry, 

 and work relating to the dairy industry. 



The employees in the service of the Bureau on July 1, 1910, num- 

 bered 3,183, as compared with 3,268 a year before. Of the former 

 number 2,385 were engaged in meat inspection or work pertaining 

 thereto, as compared with 2,499 on July 1, 1909. 



MEAT INSPECTION. 



As pointed out in my previous report, the meat inspection in the 

 latter part of the fiscal year 1909 had about reached the limit of the 

 standing annual appropriation of $3,000,000. Strict economy has 

 been observed in this work so as to provide inspection to the greatest 

 extent possible with the funds available. The cost of the inspection 

 for the fiscal year 1910 was approximately $2,940,000. 



While the inspection was carried on at 919 establishments in 237 

 cities and towns — an increase of 43 establishments over the preceding 

 year — tlie total number of animals inspected was less, owing to a 

 falling off in the number of hoes slaughtered. There was an increase 

 in all other species. The tota'l number of animals inspected at the 

 time of slaughter was 49,179,057, as compared with 55,672,075 in the 

 fiscal year 1909. Of the former number there were condemned be- 



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