The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-15
STATE INDEMNITY
ON CATTLE EXPLAINED
Commissioner Brigham Also Relates
How tuberculosis in Vermont
Herds Cane Be Eliminated.

Burlington, Jan l5ln an address
given at the session of the Vernon,
Dairymens association to-day, Com.
missioner Brigham reviewed the work
done in testing herds for tuberculosis
under the new law in cooperation with
! the IT, s. bureau of animal industry
He said in part Not one cent OF in
demnity is now paid by the state fot
animals reacting to the tuberculin test
| unless the owner submits his entire
herd and agrees to follow procedure
| which will produce and maintain tu'
berculosis free herd This procedure
must be followed by the owner as long
as he owns cattle. If he breaks his
agreement and reinfects his cattle he
can get no more indemnity from the
. state. The required procedure u as
follows:
/. Tuberculin tests made as often as
thought necessary, which is, IN most
cases, once a year.
2. INFESTED cattle must not be al.
lowed to mingle with the tested herd.
3. Milk or other dairy products fed
to calves from outside or unknown
sources must be pasteurized.
A. Reasonable sanitary measures
must be carried out.
The Y. s. bureau of animal industry
co operates to the extent Of paying one
half thesrequired clerical and veterinary
force required to do the work, in fur
uishing ear tags and tuberculin and in
spectors to see that premises are prop
erly disinfected. 1t also pays very
nearly one-half the net indemnity paid
farmers.
"The new law has resulted in great
demand for testing. 1t was estimated
that there were sufficient funds from
federal and state sources and salvage
TO test 25 900 head of cattle On Jan. 3,
1920, l,76l herd owners had applied for
tests of 2s,755 head of cattle since july
/, or more than can be taken care OF by
this years appropriation
The farmers now seem TO be ready to
have their herds tested. On June 30,
1921, when the present appropriation OF
100000 annually expires, we may ex-
pect to have freed from tuberculosis
80 900 head of cattle This will leave
100000 head yet to be tested. Federal
aid, with our present appropriation, Will
probably enable las to free the state OF
the disease in Is years. Many farmers
win have to wait years for test, the
disease viii develop progressively so
that we will have more to pay for, and
diseased animals are a menace to the
public health.
A state appropriation OF $250,0O0 will
probably be needed to take care of the
work at the present rate of demand
With federal aid, this would enable us
TO clean up the state in six years, when
the payments for indemnity would be-
gin to decrease In seven years testing
of herds supplying the District of Co
Iumbia with milk the percentage OF re-
actors decreased from nearly Id per
cent to less than per cent. Our dairy
products and our dairy cattle would
command enough higher prices in the
market to many times Offset the ex-
pense and the public health would be
safeguarded The taxpayers of the
state must decide what policy they
wish to pursue-to continue the present
appropriation for long term of years
before eradication is complete or to.
make large appropriation, put an end
to the expense at an earlier date and
have the benefits to be derived from
having a state free from bovine tuber-
culosis."