REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL 



INDUSTRY. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Animal Industry, 

 Washington, D. C, September 15, 1916. 

 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, 1916. 



Respectfully, 



A. D. Melvin, 

 Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE ERADICATED. 



The year witnessed the completion of the work of eradicating the 

 infection of foot-and-mouth disease which had persisted since the 

 outbreak was discovered in October, 1914. For more than a year and 

 a half constant warfare had been waged against this highly infectious 

 malady, which at times threatened to break beyond control and 

 lavage our stock-raising and dairy industries as it has those of other 

 parts of the world. 



It seemed that the disease had been practically stamped out by 

 th§ early part of the summer of 1915, but further outbreaks ap- 

 peared in some localities and the work had to be continued for sev- 

 eral months longer. The last herd of cattle affected by the natural 

 spread of the disease, in Christian County, 111., was disposed of in 

 February, 1916. On May 2, however, reinfection appeared on a 

 previously infected farm among some animals that had been placed 

 there to test the efficacy of the disinfection before the owner was 

 allowed to restock fully. As these premises had been cleaned and 

 disinfected under very unfavorable weather conditions, this last out- 

 break was not entirely unexpected. The diseased animals were 

 promptly slaughtered and the premises again disinfected, and there 

 has since been no recurrence of the disease there or elsewhere. Suffi- 

 cient time has now elapsed to make it practically certain that the 

 last vestige of infection has been destroyed, though vigilance has 

 been and still is being exercised to guard against any possible linger- 

 ing infection and, as far as possible, against the reintroduction of 

 the disease from abroad. 



The work of eradication was carried out by cooperation between 

 the United States Department of Agriculture and the authorities of 

 the affected States. The State cooperation was cordial and as a rule 



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