The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-01-12

As told in the news columns. the live
stool, bureau of the state department of
agriculture will ask for an annual ap-
preparation of $250,000 for the suppress
sion of bovine tuberculosis in Vermont.
The present appropriation is 100000
and the budget committee recommends
an appropriation of $4,000 year.
That is the position of the different state
officials at the opening of the contest.
There is also understood to be some OPP
position to the whole scheme of testing
and killing cattle by members of the leg
islature who will be heard from later.
No increase in the appraisal of cattle
$3.50 for purebred and 500 for grades
is contemplated, the increased appropria-
ton being asked to enable the depart
ment to test more herds and dispose of
more diseased cattle.
The department is in this situation:
It already has 2,161 herds containing
SO. $50 cattle under supervision of the
department. One hundred and sixty
even herds containing 1912 cattle have
been fully accredited by the federal gov
L.
tanning 1890 cattle that have passed
their first clean test in the process of &C
cIeditation. There are 56S herds con
tanning 14,92S cattle in which reactors
were found in the last test that are ex-
pected to qualify in the next test as'clean
herds. Applications have been made by
the owners of 1,005 herds containing
1862 cattle for a first test One hun
dred and twcnty-nine of these applica-
tions were filed before March ;. 1920
and $40 since that date. No action has
been taken in these cases because the de-
partment lacked funds to do the work or
compensate for any cattle slaughtered.
Vermont has done 50 well in eliminating
bovine tuberculosis that the federal gov
eminent has pledged itself to match any
sum the state may appropriate for the
eradication of the disease. This means
if the state should appropriate $3.50
coo the federal government would give
an equal amount. making 100000 a
Eyear available for this work.
1t would seem an opportune time for
the state to appropriate the largest pos
siblc sum for this purpose because the
federal government is ready to bear half
the cost of cleaning up all the herds of
the state. With $500 cattle already
under supervision and tests asked for
1852 others it is plain that the owners
of 50,426 Vermont cattle are anxious to
have the disease eradicated from their
herds. This is the largest demand in
the history of the state and indicates q
C0mmendable disposition on the part of
& large portion of the cattle owners of
the state. The testing and cleaning up
of a herd increases the value of the cat
tie from SO to $50 a head. Suppose
10000 of these cattle should come
through the test without reaction, the
total value of these cattle would be in
creased from 100000 to $1,OOO,OOO.
Surprising 1926 Undoubtedly larger
than the actual number would be- of
these cattle were condemned at an av
erage value of 500 head the loss
would be $1,042, 900 of which the state
would pay three-fourths or 1871 $50.
An appropriation by the state of $780,
600 a year for the next two years would
enable the state with the federal aid to
clean up this vast number of cattle
Such Il work would bring untold credit
to the state and the best time to do it
would seem to be while the federal gov
eminent is willing to bear half of the
entire expense.