No. 5. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Ill 



Eapid progress has been made in destroying the infection from the 

 present outbreak of Aphthous Fever. The payment for property and 

 stock destroyed has necessarily been held back. Under normal con- 

 ditions the Board had money sufficient to meet its obligations up to 

 June first 1915 when the present appropriation was to terminate. 

 The Board has now petitioned the legislature for |558,000 to reim- 

 burse the owners for losses sustained. Let us trust that the Legis- 

 lature can and will make the necessary appropriation so the bills 

 can be paid without delay. 



The Bureau of Animal Industry petitioned Congress for $2,500,000 

 to pay its half of the expenses in this and other states. The appro- 

 priation has been made and is now available. 



In the previous outbreak of 1908 all just bills were promptly paid. 

 For this reason it has been much easier to convince the people that 

 they would be paid for their losses this time. 



Infection during the present outbreak was carried from the or- 

 iginal to other farms in a few cases. In nearly every place it was 

 carried in refuse and utensils from creameries to which milk from 

 infected herds had been sent. If the creamery refuse had been 

 pasteurized as required by law thousand of dollars would have been 

 saved and much annoyance prevented. 



Every state should be prepared with laws, rules, regulations, agents 

 and money to fight Aphthous Fever, rinderpest and all other trans- 

 missible diseases of livestock. The fight should be determined and 

 persistent. A herd owner should not be a menace to his neighbors 

 and no state should send Aphthous Fever, hog cholera, tuberculosis, 

 glanders, etc., to other States to jeopardize their livestock interest. 

 This can be prevented to a great extent if each state will do its part. 

 It cannot be done without official supervision and a strong public 

 sentiment on the part of herd owners in favor of genuine co-operation 

 with federal, state and local authorities. 



It is hoped that you will feel that the work of exterminating the 

 disease has been honestly and promptly done and that money will 

 soon be available for paying all just claims. 



Respectfully submitted, 



C. J. MARSHALL, 



State Veterinarian. 



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