The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-08-06
52,616 VERMONT
CATTLE TESTED
Believed State Leads COun-
try In Eradication .af
Bovine tuberculosis
k1tES. sfsf8
4,317 WERE FOUND
TO BE INFECTED
On July 1874 Herds Were Under
State and Federal Supervision -
s265,269 Expended In Fighting Dis
ease During Last Fiscal Year.

ease During Last Fiscal Year.
MONTPELIER, Aug. 6.-The state
of Vermont is believed to lead all other
states in the country in the war against
bovine tuberculosis, and the report of
the commissioner of agriculture for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920
which is now being compiled, gives
some interesting information regarding
the progress which is being made. One
thing is shown, and that is that Yer
mont got the largest share of the fed
eral aid funds of any state in the union
because it was first to take advantage
of it and then made the best possible
use of government aid.
During the fiscal year, which ended
June 80, 52,616 head of cattle were
tested in. Vermont. The census taken
in April of 1919 shows that there were
359, 484 head of cattle in the state at
that time, and the number is not
thought to have changed to any ex-
tent. This would make a tritie more
than II per cent Of the total cattle in
the state tested for tuberculosis dur
ing the last year. Of the number
tested, 4,3l7 were found to be infected
or 50 per cent.
A summary of the money expended
by the bureau of animal industries, by
the state of Vermont and by the fed
eral government shows total of $780,
200, for the year ending June so. This
is more than double the amount which
was spent in the year previous, when
it was $1lS.725. Vermont paid $S2,-
917.13 in indemnities for cattle killed;
$9.6l045 for the service of veterinaries
employed in testing cattle and of in
spectors who looked after the disin-
fecting of the barns, etc; and $685.
GA in overhead expenses. In addition
to this, 500. 059.44 was received in sal
wage, and this also went into indemni-
ties. The federal government paid a
total of 99,20412,' which is more than
was paid in any other state in the
country. OF this amount $8l,1l9.42
went for indemnities and $18,084.70
for overhead expenses, veterinaries and
clerk hire.
On July /. the department had l.
ga herds under state and federal su-
pervision. This means that the owner
had agreed to continue testing for tu-
berculosis every year, also, that the
herds would be kept under restric-
tions, to prevent the spread of tuber-
culosis to them. Of these 1874 under
supervision, 1,343 have passed the one
year test without reactions and it is
fair to presume that the indemnity
will be decreased on these herds by
as large margin as 90 per cent.
On July /, there were waiting to be
tested go herds, which meant 1923
cattle The applications for the test
are on file, but the work cannot be done
owing to the fact that the appropTia-
tions will not be sufficient, according
to the estimates If this could have
been accomplished there is no doubt
that Vermont would have led all other
states in the eradication of the dis
ease. 1t is estimated that 100000 adj
ditional will be needed to complete the
work.
At the present time the farmers of the
state have come to appreciate the ben
efits of having tuberculin-test cattle,
and it is fast becoming a difficult mat
ter to sell cattle which do not come
from such herds. During the last year,
some bad herds were cleaned up.