The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-16
VERMONT CATTLE
Facts and Suggestions in Annual Re
port of Commissioner Davis.


f. L. Davis. State Cattle Commits
sioner, has made his report for the
period, July l, 1910 to June 80, 1912.
Mr.. Davis prohibits the importation of
all cattle into Vermont until permit
has been obtained from him under au-
thority vested in him. Mr.. Davis says:
Bovine tuberculosis, although not
so prevalent in the United States as
in some other countries, is present
here to an alarming extent, OF all
cattle slaughter for beef, it is estimat
ed that one per cent are found tuber-
culous, and in dairy cattle, ten per
cent are affected. Properly prepared
tubeculin works no injury to animals.
Dissatisfaction arises from use of
worthless makes now on the market.
The most reliable can be procured as
prepared by the Bureau of Animal In
dustry, issued to State officials free of
charge but not intended for general
private use.
During the two years, 1922 head of
cattle were admitted on permit, all be-
but one examined of these after
slaughter showed LESSONS of tubercu-
losis 24,149 head were tested for
owners and 1896 condemned. Post
mortems disclosed tuberculosis in all
but six.
Many farmers maintain unwarrant-
ed and ignorant dread of the test. Any
COW affected even slightly must be
considered as probably dangerous not
only to the herd but to the consumer
of her products.
tuberculosis of hogs is associated
with the same malady in cattle. The
Legislature of 1908 passed law COM
pellng creameries and cheese fac
tories to pasteurize their product. In
1910 the law was repealed. ! suggest
that we farmers and creamery men in
sist upon milk being pasteurized be-
fore separated.
Every quart of milk sold through
Vermont should be guaranteed pure,
clean and from tested herds. State
control of bovine tuberculosis will
feel responsibility to the public when
disease is found in their herds,
The statement of work covered by
the report includes the following in
teresting statistics:
Cattle tested, 1922; examined. 24S;
goat examined, |; cattle condemned,
1912; died before test, 4 shipped out
of State before testing, TO- for imme-
date slaughter, 247; cattle tested up
on owners applications, 24,149; cattle
condemned and destroyed, 1880; hogs
injected with serum for cholera, 449.
The financial statement for the pc
riod covers the claims of owners for
cattle condemned for tuberculosis and
killed and other interesting statistics
as follows:
For 1914 head of cattle killed for
disease, $50, 1888; for % horses and
one mule killed for CHAMBERS, s776.25;
for 1876 milch COWS of Vermont killed
in Massachusetts, $3,07993; for but
chers' claims. 1888 head of cattle, 1885,
545 pounds. $5,9l762; 8 hogs, 1873
pounds. S107.3S; veterinary expenses
$12,499.15 commissioner salary, sup
plies, etc. S7.363.05; gross expenses,
$S6,762.21 Less for receipts from
cattle shipped to Burlington Render
ing Company. 1902 lots, 1,23S head, So
931.2S; slaughtering LAS at % cents
and 80 at so cents, 1882. Balance
available 1910, $15,S65.71; act of 1910
$4,000, amount expended to June
80. 1912, S79,32OS3; balance of &c.
SASS.
summary of the work of the com
mission since the law went into effect
in 1894 including number of cattle
tested and killed, etc, shows that in
1886, 14,155 were tested. 924 killed.
$13,647.67 paid; 1878, 1904 tested,
1856 killed. $22.22075 paid; 1S99-19O0
1884 tested, 52S killed, $7,769.75
paid; 19O1-12. 1928 tested, 2191
killed. $3S. 900 paid; 1904, 21,O56 test
ed, 1851 killed, $35,941.07 paid 1906
6, 29.39S tested, 2724 killed, $64.4S2.4S
paid; 1907-S, 1856 tested. 1924 killed,
s72,416.S2 paid; Sept. 1908 to June,
1910. 44.014 tested, 4439 killed, S102,-
1888 paid; 1910-1912, 2S,071 tested,
1882 killed, $50, 993S3 paid The in
crease does not mean more bovine
tuberculosis in Vermont but a greater
following up in the testing of herds
where carcasses slaughtered for hui
man consumption have been found
diseased