402 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Obstacles to enforcing Regulations requiring the Tuberculin 

 Test in Inter-State Cattle Traffic. 



Massachusetts was among the first States, if not the first State, 

 requiring cattle brouglit within her borders to be kept for dairy or 

 breeding purposes to be subjectetl to the tuberculin test, although 

 for several years prior to the use of tuberculin as a diagnostic 

 agent Maine had maintained a quarantine against all Massachu- 

 setts cattle, because of the prevalence of tuberculosis in the old 

 Bay State. 



In 1894 the Massachusetts Legislature passed an act providing 

 that owners should be reimbursed by the State for one-half the 

 value of cattle killed by order of the Cattle Commission as having 

 tuberculosis. In 1895 the law was amended so as to provide that 

 owners should be paid full appraised value for tuberculous cattle 

 up to a limit not exceeding ^60 for any one animal. In 1899 this 

 limit was reduced to ^40, the appraisal to be based upon the actual 

 market value of the animal for milk or beef purposes at the time 

 of condemnation, breeding not being considered. No compensa- 

 tion, however, is allowed for a diseased animal that has not been 

 owned continuously within the State for six months prior to the 

 time of condemnation. 



It was during 1894, also, that the Cattle Commission commenced 

 using tuberculin on a large scale as a diagnostic agent, killing all 

 reacting animals. It was at once obvious that, if the State was 

 to undertake the extirpation of bovine tuberculosis, only healthy 

 animals should be brought into the Commonwealth to replace 

 those killed, and that their condition of health must be based upon 

 their standing the tuberculin test. Massachusetts does not raise 

 a gi'eat deal of neat stock ; the supply of milch cows is brought in 

 largely from without the State, especially at the eastern end, 

 where the milk producers depend almost entirely upon new pur- 

 chases brought in from other States to keep up their dairy stock. 

 These cows come largely from Maine, New Hampshire and Ver- 

 mont, quite a number come from New York State and a few from 

 other places. 



Every Wednesday a large cattle market is held at Brighton, a 

 suburb of Boston, at which there are often 700 or 800 cows. Of 

 these, 200 to 250 come from Maine, 100 to 125 from New Hamp- 

 shire, as many more from Vermont and a carload or two from 

 New York State ; these are practically all new milch cows. The 

 rest come from Massachusetts, many of them brought in by milk- 

 men to sell because they are farrow, gargetty or otherwise worn 

 out, most of them being sold for cheap beef or bolognas, their 



