P.D. 123 7 



effort to determine the methods used by milk dealers in complying with this law. 

 We have found that many of our milk dealers were not familiar with the pro- 

 visions of the law and instructions have been given to them with a rather 

 definite understanding that the Department would expect a full compliance 

 with the law in the future. 



Our inspectors have also visited the various milk plants in the State and 

 tested samples of milk in order to check on the dealers' records relating to 

 butter fat content. Our purpose is to check the dealers' tests in order that 

 we may know definitely that the producers are receiving correct payment. 



The following table gives a resume of the work done in connection with 

 these tests. 



Poultry Work Expanded 



During the past year a new law has been given to the Department to enforce, 

 relating to the transportation of live poultry, and it becomes necessary for 

 any person transporting live poultry that he has purchased from another to 

 have a bill of sale with him, showing the ownership and describing such poultry 

 and further indicating that he has a legal right to transport such poultry. 

 During the three months of 1934 during which this law was in effect, more 

 than 300 persons were licensed, and it is expected that a far greater number 

 are eligible to become licensed under the provisions of this law. The license 

 applies to the purchase, sale and transportation of poultry, with the provision 

 that producers and merchants are exempted, and a merchant is designated as 

 one who has an established place of business. 



This law was passed in an attempt to deal more harshly with any person 

 stealing poultry. Our records indicate that poultry thieving has been a very 

 serious menace to the development of our poultry industry of Massachusetts, 

 and all of our poultry associations and other agencies interested in the poultry 

 business have been solidly behind any law that would tend to control poultry 

 thieving. 



Our poultry specialist officially supervises and identifies four classes of 

 poultry flocks. The first class is the "Massachusetts Record of Performance 

 Accredited" flocks, and this group must meet the requirements of both the 

 Pullorum Accredited and the Certified Accredited grades. The breeders carry- 

 ing on R. 0. P. work enter their trapnested birds under R. 0. P. inspection 

 and during the year a state inspector makes unannounced visits to these plants, 

 taking over the trap nesting for the day. The monthly records of these 

 breeders are also checked over throughout the year. At the end of the year any 

 bird that lays at least 200 eggs in 365 consecutive days which average to weigh 

 24 ounces or more per dozen from February 1 to September 1, qualifies as an 

 R. 0. P. bird. R. 0. P. breeders then receive a certificate giving the numbers 

 and records of their R. 0. P. birds. 



"Massachusetts Certified Accredited" poultry flocks is another class under 

 our supervision. The flocks in this grade must first meet the requirements of 

 "Massachusetts Pullorum Accredited" birds. Then all the birds to be used 

 for breeding are inspected and those which meet the requirements of this grade 

 are leg banded and left in the breeding pens. To pass, these birds must meet 

 the grade standard for (a) health and vigor; (b) productive capacity and (c) 

 reasonable freedom from standard disqualifications. 



The "Massachusetts Pullorum Accredited" poultry flocks, with the require- 

 ments of this grade calling for 100% freedom from pullorum disease for at least 



