No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 545 



of reacting to the tuberculin test, unci are freely sold in New 

 York State to increase the already high percentage of disease 

 in the State. 



New Jersey. 



New Jersey has a commission of seven members. The com- 

 mission, on application from the owner, the State Board of 

 Health or the State Dairy Commission, will make an examina- 

 tion of suspected herds, the reacting animals to be condemned 

 and killed. They are appraised at their market value, not ex- 

 ceeding §40, the owner receiving compensation at the rate of 

 three-fourths of their valuation. 



During 1897, 865 animals were tested and 134 were condemned, 

 for which an average payment, at the rate of three-fourths their 

 value, of about $24.62, was made. 



Pennsylvania. 



In Pennsylvania the control of contagious diseases among 

 domestic animals is carried on by a State Live Stock Sanitary 

 Board, and, as in Massachusetts, a quarantine is enforced against 

 all outside territory. No cattle are admitted without first sub- 

 mitting to the tuberculin test, the only exception being in the 

 case of animals intended solely for breeding purposes, and these 

 must be kept strictly in quarantine. 



It has been the practice in Pennsylvania to test herds only on 

 the application of the owner, and then only where the disease was 

 suspected to exist. It has been impossible, however, to comply 

 with all the requests sent in, and, as far as possible, the worst 

 herds have been picked out for testing. Reacting animals are all 

 condemned and compensation given the owner. 



At the time of publication of the last annual report : — 



The average appraisement for cattle condemned was $24.42. Since 

 the beginning of the last fiscal year the appraisement has been $20.45. 

 The total payments for tuberculous cattle to date (Jan. 1, 1898) amount 

 to $57,191.16 for 2,510 animals, — an average of $22.78 per head. 



In Pennsylvania the number of cattle tested up to the 1st of June, 1897, 

 was 9,108, the number condemned as tuberculous was 1,839, a percentage 

 of 20.39. Since the 1st of June 4,887 cattle have been tested ; of these, 

 671 were found to be tuberculous and were killed, — a percentage of 

 13.73. All parts of the State are represented among these herds, as only 

 herds suspected as diseased are tested. It would seem to be fair to as- 

 sume that many of the worst herds have been discovered, and that the 

 percentage of tuberculosis among cattle at large is being steadily and 

 rapidly reduced. 



