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 EEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 161 



The present regulations require, in brief, that all horses, cattle, 

 sheep, and other ruminants and swine must be inspected before they 

 are admitted, and, in addition, that all ruminants and swine from 

 any part of the world except North America shall be quarantined. 

 Nearly all the animals admitted on inspection without quarantine 

 come from Canada and Mexico, and consist mainly of cattle and 

 sheep for feeding and slaughter and horses, mules, etc., for work 

 purposes, although some animals from Canada are imported for 

 dairy and breeding purposes. Nearly all the live stock brought from 

 across the seas are pure-bred animals for breeding purposes. Dur- 

 ing the past five years about a million and a quarter animals have 

 been imported under this system of inspection and quarantine. 



EXCLUSION OF DISEASES. 



Owing to the existence of communicable diseases of animals among 

 the live stock of various parts of the world, importations from over 

 seas have been mainly restricted to Great Britain, Ireland, and the 

 Channel Islands. It is required that a permit be procured from the 

 Secretary of Agriculture prior to the shipment from countries other 

 than North America of cattle, sheep, and other ruminants and swine 

 for their landing subject to inspection and for their detention in 

 quarantine at one of the Federal stations. 



During this period of 16 years surra reached our shores in an 

 importation of Brahman cattle from India, but was promptly stamped 

 out in quarantine. Also Malta fever was discovered in a herd of 

 goats from the island of Malta and was likewise eradicated by the 

 slaughter of the ajffected animals before there was any opportunity 

 for the disease to extend to other animals. 



Foot-and-mouth disease has during the above period twice appeared 

 in this country, but has in each instance been promptly eradicated. 

 The infection was introduced in contaminated vaccine imported by 

 manufacturers of biological products, and in neitlier case was the 

 disease introduced through the medium of products over which this 

 department maintains supervision. 



INSPECTION or LIVE STOCK FOR EXPORT. 



Animals intended for export are given a veterinary inspection by 

 the Bureau of Animal Industry in order to guard against the exporta- 

 tion of any that may be aifected with disease and to conform to the 

 requirements of certain foreign Governments. This inspection thus 

 serves to maintain a good reputation for American live stock in 

 foreign markets and to keep open markets that would otherwise be 

 closed against us. 



70481°— AGB 1912 11 



