Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-30

MAINE CATTLE.
Dr. G. H. Bailey Talks Very interest
ingly On Good Results
Achieved by the Recent Convention OF the
Cattle Commissioners.

Many people will be interested to learn
that DR.. G. HI. Bailey of the Maine cattle
commissioners has attended the conyen-
ton In Boston, of the New England and
New York cattle commissioners, and has
something of special Importance to say
upon the subject of cattle quarantine.
He speaks as follows:
we've got 1t all fixed in good shape, "
SAID the doctor, land it's going to be a
hrst-class thing all round
The new rules begin to operate at once
and the days of tedious quarantine fol-
Maine cattle at Brighton are over. Last
November, you may recollect, the state OF
Massachusetts, established restrictions and
started In wholesale way to stamp out
tuberculosis. She bit off big piece.
The announced plan was to inject all
Massachusetts cattle with tuberculin tax.
ing them by counties, to brand all these
ana TO examine the herds annually. Then,
too, importations from other states were
to be Guaranteed at Brighton and given
the tuberculin test. Twas pretty big
contract and Massachusetts has already
expended the $3.50, 600 appropriated and
the commissioners have just fairly got a
start In their work. Only three counties
have been tested. 1t costs so cents YOU
know, for enough tuberculn to test q
COW. SO Massachusetts has planned a
sort OF cooperative quarantine and that
Il what we have been arranging at Bos-
ton.
1.-The shipper is to have his animals
tesetd with tuberculln before they leave
the State. The test must be made by a
graduate of recognized veterinary COL
lege and the graduate must be Endorsed
by the State cattle commission. 1t should
be understood that we have at the present
time 20 graduates of veterinary colleges
scattered over Maine. When started in
| was the only one in the State. There
fore the shipper from such main points as
Burnham, Pittsfield, Pennington, akIand
or Belfast can easily comply with condi-
tions and employ to make tests any good
veterinary who receives our official en-
dorsement
Here's how Maine is to be affected
In the past eight months, since Massachu-
sets established her regulations Maine
shippers have had to keep their animals in
quarantine at Brighton at their own ex-
pense. From five days to week have been
required to complete the tuberculin test
that every animal has had to undergo
Hay costs $50 at Brighton and other feed
in proportion. and if the shipper got out
of quarantine with an expense of less than
So per head he was lucky. Then there was
shrinkage
:" Here's the way the thing is to be done
under the new arrangement:
Each COW must be tested with tuber-
culin That is imperative. 1t will cost
from 81. so to 50 a head to make the tests,
but with this certificate granted to the ship
per he may carry his cattle into Brighton,
hand over his credentials and sell them
without any delay. There's no expense
Of waiting and no loss by shrinking in
quarantine. Moreover, under the former
regulations infected cattle were ordered
killed by the Massachusetts board and the
shipper from the outside state received no
shire shipper who lost II ou5 of consign
ment of II. Very. few Maine cattle have
been killed, however.
Were about at the top notch OF prices
in Maine just at present l know of one
man who has Recently been offered $50
per head for herd of "a, or $50 per head
for a select IL. Prices range from $40 to
500 and Maine has been sending from 800
to 400 head per week to Brighton for some
time. The best stock is going, of course,
so rs to fetch the top prices. Besides,
farmers have been 'vealing' calves pretty
generally and I'm afraid the Maine cattle
stock is being depleted too rapidly.
There's q chance for breeders. ~