No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 485 



skins. This is one of tlie most perplexing problems con- 

 fronting the Board at the present time. 



The efforts of the Cattle Commission to eradicate bovine 

 tuberculosis should be confined to an expense not greatly 

 exceeding the cost of an inspection each year, — that is, 

 practically an examination of dairy herds to protect the pub- 

 lic health, — and the cost of keeping up the quarantine work 

 against importing any diseased cattle. It should consist 

 of: — 



(a) A quarantine against diseased cattle from adjoining- 

 States, to insure a healthy suppl}^ to take the places of those 

 killed by the State or disposed of in other ways, remember- 

 ing that our bovine population changes every ten or twelve 

 years, and in milkmen's herds much more rapidly, — say 

 every four or five years. 



(b) An annual inspection by the local inspectors of ani- 

 mals, to protect the public health and improve the sanitary 

 surroundings of- the cattle. These badly diseased creatures 

 are of more danger to other cattle than slightly infected 

 ones, and when removed their stalls should be thoroughly 

 disinfected before replacing them with new purchases. 



(c) If any money remains from the annual inspection, it 

 should be expended in testing entire herds for owners who 

 will agree to accept the conditions laid down by the Board. 

 It is useless to endeavor to free a farmer's herd from tuber- 

 culosis unless he will promise to co-operate with the commis- 

 sion. After a farmer's herd is thoroughly freed from 

 tuberculosis, he should receive no more assistance from the 

 State, but be himself compelled to maintain it in a healthy 

 condition. It is better for the present that the farmer 'shall 

 apply to the commission of his own volition for assistance 

 than that the commission should urge its attentions upon him. 



Another important point for the protection of herds from 

 tuberculosis on farms where the calves are raised is noted in 

 the resolutions already quoted, and that is, the danger from 

 skim-milk and buttermilk from creameries. In creameries, 

 where the milk of a number of dairies is mixed, it is possible 

 to infect the calves on farms where tuljerculosis does not 

 exist by taking home skim-milk or 1)uttermilk to feed them, 

 some of which comes from herds infected with tuberculosis. 



