Court Opinion

ID: 9855235
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:21:24.54134+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:25:15.412640
License: Public Domain

HANSON, Judge
(dissenting).
My disagreement with the majority opinion relates to the admissibility of the brucellosis test report of plaintiff's dairy herd. In my opinion such report was clearly admissible under our Uniform Business Records as Evidence Act, SDCL 19-7-11.
The Brucellosis and Contagious Abortion Program in South Dakota is governed by the provisions of SDCL Ch. 40-7. It is a contagious animal disease eradication program carried on in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. *302See SDCL 40-7-6 and 7 U.S.C.A. § 450. State laws, rules and regulations are followed and enforced in the conduct of this program.
When the results of a composite "ring" test of a dairy herd is suspicious the dairy owner is notified. A blood test of the herd is then made by a state or federal veterinarian or technician as provided by SDCL 40-7-9. When tested the cattle are identified by a tag. Reactors are "branded on the left jaw with the letter 'B' and tagged in the left ear with a brucellosis reactor identification tag." SDCL 40-7-9. The results of the brucellosis test of plaintiff's herd were transmitted to plaintiff. He was obligated by law to sell all reactors or his herd would be quarantined and he could be criminally prosecuted. Certainly, this official test report was admissible as one of plaintiff's business records made and received in the regular course of his business as a dairyman. As custodian, his identification of the test result was sufficient foundation for its admission into evidence. The purpose of the Business Records Act is to abrogate the antiquated and technical common law rules regarding the admission of business records in evidence as an exception to the hearsay rule. 30 Am.Jur.2d, Evidence, § 932, p. 52 and see Annot., "Admissibility, As Against Hearsay Objection, Of Report Of Tests Or Experiments Carried Out By Independent Third Party" 19 A.L.R.3d 1008.