30 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



taken steps to eradicate this menace to profitable dairying, and are well 

 along toward having clean herds. The others should clean up. E very- 

 dairy animal should be tested and all reactors slaughtered or segregated. 

 By the so-called Bang method it is possible to save the progeny from 

 infected but otherwise desirable cows, and from them rear healthy stock. 

 This is obvious, and does not seem to require discussion other than as to 

 method of handling, and that mil differ with the facilities at each institu- 

 tion. 



At 11 of the farms in our groups, and at a like number of farms at the 

 Mental Disease institutions, the dairy animals are black and whites with 

 some of them pure bred and registered. Many of these unregistered 

 animals are valuable for breeding purposes, as some of them are giving 

 10,000, 11,000, 12,000 and up to or beyond 15,000 pounds a year. 



Without discontinuing the pure-bred registry, I would advise the es- 

 tablishment of a State Institution Farm Herd Book which should combine 

 the advantages of a herd book, of a cow-testing association, and the so- 

 called advanced registry features of the cattle clubs. 



This would mean — 



The entry of each individual, with a complete description and as much of her 

 ancestry as may be had. 



The assignment of a herd book number. 



The keeping of complete daily milk records. 



The determination of milk fat in the milk of each animal as often as once a 

 month. 



The monthly reporting and handling of these records at a central office, prefer- 

 ably at the State House. 



The registry of each animal added to the herd by birth or purchase. 



This matter was considered by the Commissioners of the 

 departments named above and by the Commissioner of Mental 

 Diseases. The following letter to the Commissioner of Agricul- 

 ture resulted : — 



At a meeting of the Commissioners of Correction, Public Health, Mental 

 Diseases and Public Welfare on Wednesday (November 29, 1922) it was 

 voted to approve Dr. Woods' recommendation that the Department of 

 Agriculture establish a State Institution Farm Herd Book. 



It was voted further that Dr. Woods be asked to talk with Mr. Forristall 

 in the Department of Mental Diseases regarding a definite plan for handling 

 the records of milk production and the testing for butter fat in the institu- 

 tions under the four departments, and then submit definite recommenda- 

 tions to the four departments. 



The making of the Herd Book has been commenced, and the 

 definite recommendations asked for have been presented to the 

 Commissioners. 



