418 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



There are many farmers in this State who pasture their cattle 

 during portions of the summer across the line in neighboring 

 States ; in which case, altliough the person may have owned the 

 animal for years, although it may have been bred in this State, 

 no compensation is paid unless the animal has been in the State 

 six months continuously since its return from such pasturage. 



The act further provides that the owner shall only receive 

 compensation for such animals if he "shall not have prior 

 thereto wilfully concealed the existence of tuberculosis, or by 

 act or wilful neglect contributed to the spread of such disease." 



The Board as yet have not refused the payment for any cattle 

 destroyed as tuberculous where otherwise they came within the 

 provisions in this section ; because it is extremely difficult to 

 ascertain whether the owner has wilfully concealed the existence 

 of tuberculosis, or by act or wilful neglect has contributed to 

 the spread of the disease. It is true, of course, that to a cer- 

 tain extent the owner by bringing cattle from different points 

 together into one herd does " by act contribute to the spread 

 of the disease," if in fact any such animals are diseased; but 

 this commission has not felt such a literal construction was the 

 intention of the Legislature, but rather that this provision was 

 intended merely to prevent the owner receiving compensation 

 wdiere he fraudulently or wilfully exposed his animals to conta- 

 gion for the purpose of obtaining payment from the Common- 

 wealth. 



In regard to the amount of the compensation which is paid 

 for animals destroyed as tuberculous, the commission feel that 

 a word of explanation should be given. The act provides that 

 where the animal is in fact tuberculous " one-half of the value 

 thereof at the time of slaughter for food and milk purposes, and 

 without taking into consideration the existence of the disease, 

 shall be paid to the owner thereof," etc. The majority of the 

 cattle destroyed as tuberculous by this commission have no 

 greater value than for food or milk purposes ; but, on the other 

 hand, there are many herds of cattle in this State in many of 

 which tuberculosis has actually been found present, and where, 

 therefore, many of the cattle have been destroyed ; and there 

 are also many others where the commission have reason to be- 

 lieve a systematic examination by tuberculin, such as contem- 

 plated by them, will prove the disease to be present where the 



