404 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Nov. 21, 1894, to April 30, 1895, with the drovers fighting, object- 

 ing and placing every obstacle in the path of the Cattle Commis- 

 sion that they possibly could, the work was temporarily abandoned. 

 In July, 1895, it was decided that milch cows and breeding stock 

 coming into Massachusetts must be tested, but that each drover 

 could employ a veterinarian to test the cattle before shipment, the 

 examiner to make out a certificate of tuberculin test on blanks 

 furnished by the Cattle Commission. These blanks are made in 

 duplicate, the animal described therein is identified and released 

 by a member of the commission at tlie stock yards, who gives the 

 owner the original and keeps the duplicate to file away, wdiere it 

 can be referred to at any time if a question concerning a particular 

 cow arises. At the present time each cow is required to have an 

 ear tag (furnished the drovers at cost by the commission) , the ear 

 tag number and certificate number having to correspond; this 

 makes the identification of each animal more easy. 



The drovers entered readily into this plan, and each arranged to 

 have a veterinarian in his locality test his cattle. The Cattle 

 Commission obtained a list of veterinarians from the commission- 

 ers of the other States, whom they considered reliable ; the in- 

 tention at first was to have only veterinary graduates upon it, and 

 only those vouched for by Cattle Commissions of their respective 

 States. In some localities there were no qualified veterinarians, 

 and it was arranged to accept tests of members of the laity who 

 were practical cattlemen, castrators and the like, and who famil- 

 iarized themselves with the proper methods of applying tuberculin. 

 This work was done honestly, probably, for a few months ; then 

 crooked work commenced, and has been carried on to a greater or 

 less extent by some men ever since. (An honest quack is better 

 than a dishonest graduate.) 



This plan has been followed now for five years. The animals 

 brought to the stock yards each week need no permit ; the cow 

 dealers give the certificates of tuberculin test (often fake ones) to 

 the commissioner having charge of this branch of the work, who 

 identifies and releases the animals. Cattle brought to any other 

 points can come in only on permits, and if over six months old 

 and for dairy or breeding purposes must be tested either before 

 shipment or after arrival at their destination, at the expense and 

 risk of the owner. If any cows are brought to the stock yard 

 quarantine stations untested, they are held and tested in five or 

 six days, in time to go on to the market the next week. Any that 

 react are killed ; if slightly diseased, the owner can have w^hat the 

 butcher will allow him for the beef ; if badly diseased, the carcass 



