102 Annual reports o:^ department of agriculture. 



nationally, and it seems likely that during the next fiscal year the 

 systematic dipping of cattle to free them from ticks will be taken up 

 in a greatly increased area. Very effectual cooperation has come also 

 from transportation companies, commercial clubs, bankers, and other 

 business men who are far-sighted enough to realize that the eradica- 

 tion of the cattle tick and the subsequent development of the live- 

 stock industry mean an increase of business for all concerned. 



SHIPMENTS FROJI QUARANTINED AREAS. 



The number of inspections of cattle of the quarantined area shipped 

 to market centers for immediate slaughter was 2,040,609, which is a 

 considerable increase over the previous year, and was brought about 

 by local conditions, such as drought, which required the immediate 

 marketing of many cattle. " Dipped ticky cattle " to the number of 

 6,259 were shipped to points where inspection is provided and dip- 

 ping facilities maintained for further treatment for movement as 

 noninfectious. The number of cattle inspected or dipped and certi- 

 fied at points other than public stockyards for interstate movement 

 as noninfectious as provided for in the regulations was 151,571. To 

 cover the shipments of these cattle, 1,672 certificates were issued. 



TUBERCULOSIS ERADICATION DIVISION. 



J. A. KiERNAN, Chief. 



The Tuberculosis Eradication Division was formed May 1, 1917,- 

 with a view to increasing greatly the scope of activities looking 

 toward the ultimate eradication of tuberculosis from the live stock of 

 the country. This report includes certain work carried on prior to 

 that date in the Quarantine and Field Inspection Divisions and con- 

 tinued in the new division. 



COOPERATIVE TUBERCULOSIS INVESTIGATIONS. 



The cooperative work for the suppression of cattle tuberculosis has 

 been continued with the owners of herds, with the dairy and food 

 division of Virginia, with the Commissioners of the District of 

 Columbia, and with the Office of Indian Affairs of the Department 

 of the Interior. 



The establishment of pure-bred herds of cattle free from tuber- 

 culosis as determined by tuberculin tests applied under bureau super- 

 vision is being materially increased by the tuberculin testing of these 

 herds in widely separated sections of the United States. Active co- 

 operation in this work has been given by herd owners and by organi- 

 zations promoting the cattle industry. 



In the work with the Office of Indian Affairs the tuberculin test 

 was applied to 413 cattle upon 14 reservations, and 6.5 per cent re- 

 acted to the test. These inspections disclosed improvement in the 

 quality of the cattle and in the sanitary conditions under which milk 

 is produced. 



In the District of Columbia, where the compulsory tuberculin test 

 has been a requirement since November, 1909, the work has been con- 

 tinued with cooperation upon the part of private cattle owners and of 



