UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Contribution from the Bureau of Animal Industry 
A. D. MELVIN, Chief 
Washington, D. C. Vv January 5, 1918 
THE 28-HOUR LAW REGULATING THE INTERSTATE TRANS- 
PORTATION OF LIVE STOCK: ITS PURPOSE, REQUIRE- 
MENTS, AND ENFORCEMENT.* 
By Harry Gopine and A. JOSEPH RAUB, 
Bureau of Animal Industry. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. ; Page. 
Enactment of thelaw..........-..-.-------- Li Results/accomplished ssc... seccnceeeceeeceee 13 
iRanposeetbhelaw:. «2 2o.2-2- 08-22 seee ose ee 2 Imiprovedayand Sia eens penises ameter ct 13 
Requirements of thelaw......-.....-.--.--- 3 Improved feeding and watering facilities. 14. 
Proper feed and water.........--..------ 3 Better loading and unloading facilities... 16 
UMMCIOMULES baie sacs = Bees ese cca ene 4 Removal of incompetent employees.....- 17 
Humane handling.....-.. ae Seeks ee 5 Improved train schedules...-..........-- 17 
Properly equipped pens..-...-.--------- 5 | Violations and penalties----.---.-------...-- 17 
Abuses under thelaw...........-....------- 9 | Further improvement desirable.............. 17 
Mext Of PreSOm bil wesc nerd easy elec 18 
ENACTMENT OF THE LAW. 
During the Forty-second Congress a law was passed to prevent 
cruelty to animals while in the course of interstate transportation, 
which was approved by the President on March 3, 1873, and incor- 
porated in the Revised Statutes of the United States, first edition, 
as sections 4386 to 4390, inclusive. This law was enacted to prevent 
any carrier from transporting animals in interstate commerce for 
a longer period than 28 consecutive hours without unloading for the 
purpose of rest, water, and feeding for at least 5 consecutive hours 
before continuing their transportation. If, however, the animals 
were carried in cars, boats, or other vessels in which they could and 
did receive proper food, water, and rest, the statute permitted the 
carrier to transport them without unloading. 
To comply with the act, it became necessary for the transportation 
companies to provide feeding, watering, and resting facilities at 
17The authors acknowledge the cooperation in this work of Mr. J. V. De Laney, who at 
the time was in the service of the Bureau of Animal Industry. 
5775°—18—Bull. 589—_1 if 
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