XVIII REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



work themselves upward without placing themselves under obligations 

 to anyone. It contributes to a high standard of manly character and 

 to efficiency in public office. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



Our animal industry, which has been most remarkably developed 

 both as to numbers and values, has experienced great prosperity. 

 There has been an active market for animals and animal products at 

 satisfactory prices. In no other large stock-raising country have ani- 

 mals l)een so free from disease. It is the f luiction of this Department, 

 through the Bureau of Animal Industry, to foster and assist this 

 branch of agriculture by distributing information, by protecting it 

 from both imported and indigenous contagion, by inspecting animals 

 and meats for the interstate and foreign trade, and by certifying that 

 exported meats are wholesome and that animals are free from contagion. 



ANIMAL EXPORTS. 



Under this intelligent and helpful supervision there were exported 

 last year animals valued at more than $52,000,000, meats valued at 

 more than $113,000,000, animal fats and oils valued at more than 

 $66,000,000, dairy products valued at nearly $9,500,000, and miscella- 

 neous animal products valued at more than $12,000,000. The grand 

 total of animals and animal products exported during the year 

 amounted to nearly $254,000,000. 



INSPECTION SERVICE FOR EXPORT ANIMALS. 



Out of a total of -1:59,000 cattle exported, there were inspected, 

 marked with numl)ers for identification, and certified 385,000. The 

 remainder were shipped in small lots from ports where no inspection 

 is maintained and to countries which do not require inspection. The 

 number of sheep exported reached a})out 298,000 head, and of these 

 228,000 were inspected before shipment. The horses and mules con- 

 stituted the second largest item in the exports of live animals, the 

 number being 116,500 and the value about $8,900,000. Of these, 

 nearly 48,000 were inspected and certified. There was a notable 

 increase in the number of cattle and sheep exported, the former being 

 greater than any year since 1898 and the latter the largest since 1896. 

 There was a decline in the exports of horses. 



The inspection of steamships which is made in connection with the 

 inspection of export animals has been conducted with a view to secur- 

 ing strong and relial)le fittings properly fastened to the decks, ade- 

 quate ventilation. alleywa3's sufficiently wide to enable attendants to 

 perform their duties in all kinds of weather, and, in general, such 

 arrangements and management as would insure humane treatment and 



