REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL 



INDUSTRY. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



■ Bureau of Animal Industry, 



Washington^ D. C, September 29^ 1917. 

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

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

 June 30, 1917. 



Respectfully, 



A. D. Melvin, 

 Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



MEETING THE FOOD AND WAR EMERGENCY. 



The energies of the bureau have been directed especially toward 

 the great national task of producing and conserving food and other 

 needed supplies. Efforts have been made to stimulate the produc- 

 tion of meat and dairy and poultry products, to utilize these foods 

 in the most economical way, to suppress animal diseases, to make 

 the wisest use of available feedstuffs for live stock, and to encourage 

 the more general raising of farm animals. The regular work in these 

 directions has been enlarged and more vigorously pushed, and new 

 plans have been laid. 



As hogs and poultry yield quickest returns, special campaigns 

 have been begun to enlarge their production. The boys' and girls' 

 pig and poultry clubs are being used as valuable agencies in this 

 work. Some of the things advocated are the greater production of 

 pigs in fall litters, the more extensive feeding of pigs on garbage, 

 the raising of chickens on small premises and feeding them partly on 

 table waste, and the more general production of infertile eggs after 

 the hatching season so that spoilage may be avoided. 



More careful and intelligent feeding is also being urged. While 

 it is necessary that animals be well fed in order that large yields may 

 be obtained, farmers are advised to feed a minimum of things needed 

 for human food and a maximum of what would otherwise be waste 

 products. 



Sheep raising for both mutton and wool is being encouraged. 

 Horse breeding is likewise advocated, to replenish the supply de- 



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