Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-10

centage of diseased animals between
sections where no work has been done
by the commissioners within the last
few years.
There has been 45o cattle condemn
eG or in other words twenty eight and
one-half Der cent We do not say that
all sections where no work has been
done would be as bad as Sanford: but
we do say that wherever disease is 10
Gated and no effort has been made up
to the present to suppress it, that there
will be a Very much larger percentage
than in sections where The owners of
cattle have been trying for years to
get rid OF it. In the southern part of
York county there has not been much
testing done.
"AroostCok county is another sec
ton where practically no work had
been done prior to the past year. Dur
ing The preceding year several car
loads of dairy cattle We're shipped in
there from Central Maine, and the peo-
pic reading ana hearing SO much about
What was being done in the western
Iart of The state. became suspiciOus
that they were having disease brought
into their county. and there was a de-
mand made upon the commissioners to
have some of these cattle tested and
the result has been that AL cattle
have been tested ard II found To be
diseased. CT j. per cent, which shows
that the ArooStook farmer did not
commence any too soon. During the
last year there has been very little
work done in Knox, Hancock. WASH
ington and Lincoln counties. The 9TH
el counties have had more or less done
some more than others.
There have been 1000 grade cattle
tested during the last year and 1903
condemned at six per cent This in
cludes all bad sections and also some
Of the cleanest sections. (barring the
Portland milk supply, which has but
just started) and indicates the average
Of the work done for the year.
There has been about $500 pure
blood cattle tested during the year and
13S condemned or an average OF three
and one-half per cent. This is a de-
crease in percentage over the previous
year OF one and one-half.
The new law requires the testing
of all animals that are to be shown
at the State fairs. Many herds con-
tanning part grades and part pure
b!ocds We're tested during the past year
for the first time, owing to the more
favorable aspect of the new law as
regards compensation for diseased ami :
mails and the free test by the State
whore disease is found The cid law
only required a test where the animal
was to be transferred.
The law provides that the State
shall pay for the testing of cattle
where the evidence of disease is such
as to satisfy the commissioners that
Il test is necessary. Our rule is, that
whenever a case is found in a herd,
that it is necessary to test the balance
of the herd, that when a herd is found
badly diseased and a number con-
demned that it is not necessary to test
the nerd again in six months or with
in one year.
I'm the testing of herds if no disease
is found the owner must pay for the
test to the extent Of $40 which usually
pays the bill: if the cost exceeds this
amount the State will pay the balance.
The law provides for free test where
y
ford to carry disease in their herds
when the State pays a fair market
value for the animal. if diseased. pays
for the test and pays for disnfecting
and making the premises safe for the
sound animals.
Some say that the commissioners
are condemning too many cattle; and
it is q fact that the commissioners
sometimes feel that way themselves;
but when we consider that the COM
missioners make no effort to locate
or hunt for diseased herds. that the
business is absolutely upon the appl-
cation of the owners of the cattle
themselves, that it takes the entire
time of the commissioners to keep up
with the work, that it requires the
services of a large number of inspect
ors to do the work of testing and dis
infection of premises, and under the
law the commission has no way or
excuse to curtail the business, it be-
comes evident that it is the policy of
the state under the present law,
backed up by public sentiment, that
tuberculosis among our dairy herds
must be eradicated as nearly as is
DOSSible ana tndt tile commissioners
are not responsible for the amount of
money being expended, further than
the efficiency of the work done and
an economical method of doing the
business.
at would be we'll to note that under
the old law the commissioners eX-
pended $72,17S.5S during the year 1907 8.
The object of the new law was to au-
thorize the payment of higher price
for a frst-class COW that reacted to
the tuberculosis test. The new law
as first drafted carried an appropri-
alton of $4,000 per year for two years.
or S130,000 and this amount was con-
sidered by the commissioners as low
as they could possibly get along with.
and not have a deficit at the end of
1910. They expressed themselves to
the committee that they had rather
have $4,000 for the two years under
the old law than $4,000 under the
new law: but the committee in their
wisdom saw fit to cut off $4,000 from
the appropriation of the new law and
pass it, and the result is that the
business after seven months of the new
law has settled down to about $4,000
per month.
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