ternational Movement of Livestock and Poul- 

 try." This is a loose-leaf compilation of all the 

 State and Federal regulations and also includes 

 the Animal Inspection and Quarantine regula- 

 tions and the Canadian import regulations. 



Objectives 



A well-informed field organization is essen- 

 tial for the proper enforcement of our pro- 

 grams. As before, meetings will be held as 

 conditions warrant for the purpose of improv- 

 ing operating procedures. Changes in regu- 

 lations and other information having wide- 

 spread application will likewise be promptly 

 brought to the attention of our inspectors. 



Contact will be maintained by field represen- 

 tatives with individuals and organizations en- 

 gaged in livestock activities to keep them in- 

 formed of the laws and regulations pertaining 

 to their activities. Such contacts should do 

 much to prevent or reduce the number of in- 

 advertent violations. 



A more effective enforcement of the inter- 

 state regulations and laws has resulted from 

 close cooperation with State and local livestock 

 oflicials. It is expected that this cooperation 

 will continue with increasing advantages to all 

 agencies engaged in animal disease control 

 programs. 



PUBLIC STOCKYARDS 



The first record 



An Act of Congres.s dated May 29. 1884, 

 authorized the Commissioner of Agriculture 

 to organize a Bureau of Animal Industry, ap- 

 point a Chief "who shall be a competent veteri- 

 nai-y surgeon," and to employ a force "not to 

 exceed 20 persons at any one time." 



The same Act, Section 4, authorized special 

 investigations of pleuropneumonia, or any con- 

 tagious, infectious, or communicable disease, 

 "alo)ig the lines of transportation from all 

 parts of the United States. . . ." 



In this general language lies legal authority 

 for public stockyards inspection. 



For several years Texas fever was the only 

 disea.se subject to .stockyards control. In 1897, 

 inspection was extended to sheep scabies and 

 in 1903, to cattle scabies. By 1905, activities 

 were enlarged to embrace inspection for com- 



municable disea.ses of all livestock received at 

 public stockyards. 



Since its beginning, public stockyards in- 

 spection has been important in controlling or 

 eradicating Texas fever in cattle, dourine and 

 glanders in horses, scabies in sheep and cattle, 

 foot-and-mouth disease, and vesicular exan- 

 thema. 



The stockyards service proved its importance 

 in controlling and eradicating vesicular exan- 

 thema. Since mo.st major markets were in- 

 volved, the manner in which VE was handled 

 unque.stionably prevented the development of 

 additional foci of infection. On many occa- 

 sions stockyards inspection not only stopped 

 the spread of infection but also helped the 

 Division locate farm sources where the disease 

 was not known to exist. 



The cooperation between the management 

 of stockyards companies and the Division in 

 controlling the VE eindemic cannot be overem- 

 I)hasized. It demonstrated that in these days 

 of rapid transit, the Division, by working with 

 marketing interests, can effectively control the 

 spread of livestock diseases. 



Stockyards inspection activities were en- 

 hanced when, in furtherance of efforts to pre- 

 vent the spread of brucellosis, provision was 

 made, on January 1, 1957, for specifically 

 approved stockyards and slaughtering es- 

 tablishments. These approved establishments 

 operate under State inspection. Cattle may 

 move interstate to them without having to 

 meet certain prior requirements. Subsequent 

 movements from such markets, however, must 

 be in compliance with Federal regulations. As 

 of June 30, 1960, there were 3,430 such estab- 

 lishments. 



The importance of stockyards inspection 



From an economic standpoint, no service 

 supplies more information on the health of the 

 Nation's livestock than does the stockyards in- 

 spection service. If efforts were being made to 

 learn which disea.ses existed in livestock, in- 

 spection of premises would be required. This 

 would be an impracticable service. However, 

 a very satisfactory method of making this de- 

 termination is available by inspecting the 60 

 to 65 million animals that annually move 

 through 56 majoi- marketing centers. 



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