BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



309 



Some idea of the growing scarcity of beef cattle may be had from 

 the following table, which gives the number of milch cows and of 

 " other cattle " in the United States on January 1 of each year for the 

 past 10 years, as estimated by the Bureau of Statistics, Department 



of Agriculture 



On comparing the first and last years of the table it may be seen 

 there are about 3,500.000 more dairy cows in the country than there 

 .were 10 years ago, whereas beef cattle during the same period have 

 decreased 7,500,000. Taking the last six years of the period, we find 

 that dairy cows have been practically stationarv, while beef cattle 

 have diminished by 14,306,000, or 27.74 per cent. ^ 



The time has come when we must conserve our meat supply and 

 take steps to increase it, and at the present remunerative prices for 

 food animals it is probable that this will be gradually accomplished. 

 Farmers generally, and especially those in the corn belt, should take 

 advantage of the situation to develop cattle feeding under the present 

 favorable conditions. The South has great possibilities for the future 

 in this respect. The mild climate, the long gi*azing season, and the 

 cheap land in this section make it highly suited for the purpo.se of 

 beef production. This has been proved by the cattle-feeding experi- 

 ments of this bureau in cooperation with the Alabama Experiment 

 Station. There is, however, one draw^back — the presence of the cattle 

 tick. Fortunately this pest is being gradually but surely removed as 

 a result of the energetic work of the Government and the several 

 States involved. The development of cattle raising in the South 

 should closely follow the extermination of the ticks. 



AN EXAMPLE OF THE BENEFITS OF MILK IMPKOVEMENT. 



A remarkable instance of the value of a wholesome milk supply in 

 promoting health is afforded by the experience of the past two years 

 at the United States Naval xVcademy, at Annapolis, Md. 



A few years ago, at the request of Paymaster Samuel Bryan, 

 United States Navy, who was and is charged with the provisioning 

 of the Naval Academy, the bureau tested with tuberculin some of 

 the dairy herds from which milk was being obtained under contract. 

 The discovery of tuberculosis in some of the herds, together with 

 other bad sanitary conditions, led Paymaster Bryan t(T undertake 

 the establishment of a dairy herd for the academy. By his request 



