Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-24
In Work Of Cattle Com
missioners Of Maine.
Increased Demands Made by
Boards Of Trade.
Bovine tuberculosis Has Been
Greatly Reduced.


Bowdoinhaln, has been filed with the
governor and council During tho
two years just ended there were con-
delnneG and destroyed by the commits,
sionero 1,727 cattle, 179 horses and 1O1
sheep. The business of the two years
amounts to $72,1745S. The average
cost for animals condemned has beer
S31.S7
During the two years 100 head OF
cattle were destroyed at Brighton, the
owners calling on the commission tc
pay for the same under the law OIL
1907, costing the State 1920
In part the commissioners say
'There has been a large increase il
the work of the department during the
rast few years, SO much so that from
a financial standpoint, it has become
| one of the most important departments
|of the State. This increase has beer
brought about, by an increased de
mand made upon the commissioners
by boards Of health of the large cite:
and towns, demanding certificate OF
health from the owners Of herds send
ing milk and cream ito these commun
tiles. $40. --'."
ALSO dalrymen in all sections Of the
State are testing their herds in orde:
to ascertain whether or not, tubercu-
loSiS exists among the animals. real
i%ing the dangers of this trouble in the
herd to the rest OF the animals. An
other feature was added to the work
by the passage of the law requiring
the testing of pure blood animals.
This law has done much to reduce
tuberculosis in the State, going as il
does to the fountain head. Four years
ago, there was shown to be % per cent
among these herds diseased, while
this year it has dropped to less than I!
per cent.
AS to the investigation of grade
herds, public sentiment is so strons
among both dairymen and consumer.
in favor of healthy cattle and dair,
products, that there seems to be nc
possible way to retrench in the depart
ment at the present time.
1--WE are aware that there will be al
effort made by the Legislature, to in
crease the work of the commission
which Will add more expense to the de
partmert. The last two years thu
commissioners have spent the appro
priatlon of $4,000 and have created
deficiency of SCI, So. This deficienc,
could easily have been enlarged ha(
the commissioners attended to man,
applications along the line of investi
CATION. There is a strong sentimenf
in this State for a general test, gen
eral law requiring all cattle to be test
cd
That the State should do more thai
it is doing is self evident or what ha.
been done is a total loss There ar,
large sections of the State where Their,
is practically no disease. The work
the board mas been confined to thu
worst infected parts, where boards O
health lave demanded that the mos,
work be done.
This last year many new section.
Of the state have been gone over a.
well as the old districts covered b,
TIE Portland milk supply, where test,
ing has been going on for some three
years and where the percentage ha:
fallen from to , per cent. There have
leen about $4,000 head tested durins
the last year.
The United States government fur
niShes the commission with tuberculil
Tree to help carry on the work, ant
has expressed qualification at thu
amount of work being done
Your commissioners believe that The
sentiment in this State is in favor o
The State paying for the testing of ami
mails, such expense, in the past having
hcen borne by the owner, and has con.
Stitutcd ono Of the most serious mat
ters OF controversy between the Owner
and the boaru of health in, the enforce
lnent of itH regulation. -. ..
They would be in favor of the Stat,
bearing this expense, whenever it wa:
necessary, or in other words when an
plication was made to the board b.
the owner. We believe that such
proposition would be literally take1
advantage of and would be better thar
an enforced test. When any commun.
Iy through its board of health demar.
ded. an examination of it's milk supply
then the cattle commission could act
and escape the odium of enforcement
making friends instead of enemies"
Referring TO the discovery of tuber.
culosis in the herd of the insane hos
pital at Augusta. the commissioners
say. Prior to the time the herd con-
sisted Of 1863 cattle and they had beef
tested by reliable veterinarians will
the result that the entire herd reacted
under the terbuculin test. The entire
herd was turned over to the commits
sioners to 90 with as they thought
best
There seemed to be sentiment
among some people that the commits
Sioners could discriminate somewhat
upon the herd as it belonged to the
State: hut the commissioners could
not see it in that light, and the whole
herd was condemned and DESTROYED.
the institution paying for the slaugh-
tering Of the cattle and the labor for
disinfecting the stables and receiving
the proceeds from the cattle in the
way Of hides and carcasses. sold to
the Portland Rendering Co. which
amount was turned over to the insti-
tuition
The disnfecting of the barns was
done in very thorough manner and
looked after by the commissioners
from time to time and when the new
stock vas bought Mr. Campbell con-
suited with the commissioners and an
I.