Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-02
ANNUAL REPORT.
State Cattle Commissioners Bust
ness Of Last Year.
Interesting Things Which They Have TO Say
About Cattle Diseases.

zen printed and contains brief history of
the work during the past year. In many
cases where CHAMBERS were reported an in
spection proved that the disease was chronic
catarrh.
The summaries show that l43 inspections
were made during 1898, 70 herds of cattle
and SO stables were examined, also three
hocks of sheep. Twenty-six head of cat
tie were condemned and destroyed at an ap-
praisal of 1927, and 20 horses were found
affected with CHAMBERS and condemned at an
appraisal Of $685., and lG sheep appraised
1872, making total Of 1854 Among the
horses destroyed four were not appraised,
as not having been owned in Maine the re-
qlired time under the amended law of 1892.
But six Of the whole number destroyed
were State Of Maine horses, l6 of the num-
Der being Canadian and Western bred
horses, the larger portion of them having
been purchased in Boston market.
Among the cattle destroyed seven cows
came out Of Massachusetts herds, as OPP
posed to 6 from the same state condemned
the previous year.
early in December, 1891, our board re-
ceived notice that cheap class of cattle
were being brought into Maine from Brigh-
ton, Mass, and either sold for beef to low
priced consumers or disposed of to farmers
in Eastern Maine. cur first notice was re-
ceivcd from Lisbon, and on December It'll,
DR.. Bailey visited the farm of Horace Jor-
dan, and found two cows badly diseased
with tuberculosis. These cows were part
of carload Of twenty three brought here
by Fred and William Crowley of Lisbon,
twelve of which had been slaughtered and
the beef sold in Lewiston and Auburn be-
fore we knew they were in the State, and
the other | | were found upon eight differ
ent farms, where they had been sold or
was found to be badly diseased upon the
farm of Nathan Bucknam, who had bought
the animal for ST."
The report contains an abstract from the
Massachusetts, cattle commissioners report
on butchers and speaks Of the unprinciplcd
butchers WHO make i business of buying
up old WORKOUT or sick cows many of
them tuberCulous, for few dollars each,
killing them, and dsposing of the meat and
other products of the carcass to the best
advantage possible to them.
This is the class Of cattle so well des-
crbed by DIR. Burr himself, where he says
that when the condition of the old, I'M
thrifty cows in this city and neighborhood
is studied, and the class of people to whom
their milk and other products are dis
tributel are taken into account, the subject
becomes a very serious one, and well worth
the immediate attention Of our health au-
thorities; all of which we believe offers
abundant proof of the value and necessity
of the continuance of quarantine regulations
against Massachusetts, which has been IN
force since January 1892. The summary
of our business during 1898, discloses the
fact that the total appraisals of the year, of
all animals condemned and destroyed, was
Sl954, which together with the expense ac-
count of our board will exceed the amount
appropriated BY the last Legislature, as per
vouchers furnished and audited by the
trea urer of our commission and we again
tlke occasion to say that the present annual
appropriation for carving on the work VIII
have to be increased, if the service is 10 be
faithfully performed, and the high standard
of health among our "ilocks and herds
which we now enjoy is to be maintained.
At the last session of the Legislature, in
view of the tact that the actual expenditures
of 1891 and 1882 had exceeded the BIZ
annual appropriation, our board asked Tor
an increased amount, not only to enable us
promptly to meet our obligations and pay
ments to those hose animals were destroy
ed, bnt also to prevent a recurrence OF
deficiency which now exists, and we are
forced to apply a portion of the appropria-
ton of 1894, TO the payment OF liabilities
incurred during 1893, in many instances,
where parties to whom money was due have
been kept waiting several months. Instead
of increasing the appropriation, the amount
of apprsisals was reduced oue-hsif, by
which the limit for which any non regis
tered animal, whether equine of bovine
could be appraised was $50, of which the
State pays one-half.
1t must be- apparent that there are
many high bred cattle in this State
even if non-reeistered, whose value
las determined upon the basis OF
of health before infection, is much more
than $50. while in the case of horses that
are always more or less exposed to the
dreaded disease of CHAMBERS, the compenss-
ton of S25, to an owner OF a
horse worth in his business several nun
bred dollars is too small compensation IN
depriving him of an animal oftentimes per-
fectly we'll able to perform the work ana
duties of sound horse, were it not that