Dr. MOHLER. The following statement is presented in support of 1,396 Increase, Budget 1935, compared with estimated obligations, 1934_ The reduction of $67,570 in the estimate of $622,090 for 1935 appropriation of $689,660 for 1934 consists of: Impoundment of 6% percent of 15 percent pay cut.. Further reduction in working funds for 1935 ($28,102 for eradi- 5 percent salary restoration_____ Total below the WORK DONE UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION Work under this appropriation consists of the eradication of scabies in sheep and cattle; the inspection of southern cattle; the control of the interstate transportation of livestock; the inspection of vessels; the enforcement of the 28-hour law; the inspection and quarantine of imported animals, including the establishment and maintenance of quarantine stations; the supervision over the sanitary handling of hides, skins, wool, and other animal by products, feeding materials, and fertilizers offered for importation; the investigational and inspection activities relative to the existence of contagious diseases; and the inspection and mallein testing of animals. All these measures for the safeguarding of this country's livestock are regarded as essential to ward off calamitous results. ERADICATION OF SCABIES IN SHEEP AND GOATS One of the largest items under this inspection and quarantine appropriation is the eradication of scabies in sheep and goats. In this work the Bureau cooperates with authorities of the various States and with the Office of Indian Affairs in relation to sheep and goats on the Indian reservations. General inspections of sheep and goats are made in regions where scabies still exists or has recently existed and all infected and exposed flocks are dipped under supervision. During the fiscal year 1933, the cooperating forces made 19,559,531 inspections and supervised 2,270,493 dippings. The number of animals in infected flocks was 229,711. Eradication has now progressed to the point where in the cooperating States infection is limited to three or four areas where, because of natural conditions and other difficult circumstances, its complete elimination is the hardest to accomplish. Both the Bureau and State forces are centering their efforts in those areas, the principal ones of which lie in Louisiana and northern New Mexico. The reduction of $28,186 in working funds for 1935 includes: (a) A decrease of $28,102 on the item for eradication of scabies in sheep.-This will be met by a reduction in personnel and a consequent reduction in necessary travel expenses. (b) A decrease of $84 on the item for control over interstate shipment of livestock.— This is a reduction in rent on account of proposed moving from rented quarters into a Federal building. At the same time it is necessary to keep careful watch over large regions in order that any reinfection may be promptly detected. On the Navajo Indian Reservation only a few cases have been found during the past 3 years, and these near the extreme southern edge of the reservation. So long as some infection remains in outside areas, however, it is necessary to maintain careful watch so that results obtained may be safeguarded. A very little infection among goats was found in southern Texas. ERADICATION OF SCABIES IN CATTLE AND HORSES This work on eradication of scabies in cattle and horses is carried on in the same manner as sheep scabies and 2,697,251 inspections were made and 435,673 dippings supervised by the cooperating forces dur ing the fiscal year 1933. Cattle in infected herds numbered 165,195. In all the Western States which originally were heavily infected considerable infection remains in only four main areas, namely, eastern Wyoming, eastern Colorado, southeastern New Mexico, and western Nebraska. Excellent work was done in Wyoming during the past year in getting cattle in the infected areas dipped, but it is still too early to state how nearly eradication was accomplished. The same is true with respect to southeastern New Mexico, where the most satisfactory dipping campaign they have ever achieved was conducted during the past fall. That is on account of the personal cooperation that some of those large herd owners showed. Before they have always opposed it, but this last year they have been strong cooperatives. In eastern Colorado also a great deal of work was done and preparations are going forward for more extensive work this year. A few cases of reinfection occurred in Arizona, one in California, one in Montana, and several in South Dakota, without doubt due to the introduction of exposed or infected cattle or contacts with such cattle on ranges along State lines. Some scabies still exists among horses on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, but conditions have greatly improved as compared with a few years ago. MISCELLANEOUS DISEASES Funds allotted to the project for miscellaneous diseases are used in cooperating with local authorities in the suppression of outbreaks of different communicable diseases not provided for by specific appropriations, which threaten to get out of control and cause heavy losses. The principal ones of these are encephalomyelitis of horses and anthrax. During the fiscal year 1933 the bureau assisted in arresting a serious epizootic of anthrax in South Dakota and northeastern Nebraska. The bureau also cooperated with the Indian Service in measures to prevent a recurrence of anthrax losses among Indianowned cattle. Encephalomyelitis appeared in widely separated districts during the past year and bureau veterinarians assisted State authorities in disseminating information concerning the disease and instructing owners regarding preventive measures. INSPECTION OF IMPORT ANIMALS The inspection of import livestock is required by law. There are entries of livestock through numerous ports along the Canadian and Mexican boundary lines, in addition, of course, to those at coast ports. Prompt inspection must be furnished at these numerous ports in order that everyday commerce may not be impeded. QUARANTINE OF ANIMALS AT PORTS OF ENTRY Import animals of certain classes are subjected to quarantine at ports of entry for different periods in order to make certain of their freedom from disease. Well-equipped stations for this purpose are provided for the ports of New York and Baltimore. INSPECTION AND TESTING OF LIVESTOCK FOR EXPORT The inspection of export livestock is required by act of Congress. It is also necessary in many instances to inspect, test, and certify livestock, including poultry, to meet the requirements of receiving countries. This project also includes administration of regulations under an act of Congress requiring the fitting of vessels in a certain manner and a general supervision over the loading and handling of shipments. IMPORTATION OF ANIMAL BYPRODUCTS, HAY, STRAW, ETC. Because of the danger of introduction of foot-and-mouth disease and other serious livestock diseases, supervision and control are exercised over animal byproducts and certain other materials such as meat covers, hay and straw, from countries where those diseases are known to exist. This necessitates some degree of supervision at practically every port of the United States. Animal byproducts, hay, straw, and so forth, from infected countries, that come under this control must be destroyed or quarantined at port of entry or handled in sealed cars and at specially designated establishments where some general supervision also must be maintained. It is the Bureau's duty also to make certain that any meat in a vessel's stores which originated in infected countries, and garbage derived therefrom, shall not be landed; also to see that any live animals held as ships stores are slaughtered before the vessel is permitted to dock. Mr. SANDLIN. You have cooperation from the States in this work? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; we do-very excellent cooperation. They are all very anxious that no infection should come into their particular States through the seaports. Mr. SANDLIN. And the money that the States are spending on this work is fairly comparable with the Federal money that is going into the States? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. INSPECTION FOR COMMUNICABLE DISEASES OF LIVESTOCK AT PUBLIC STOCKYARDS Then we have the inspection for communicable diseases of all livestock that are received at public stockyards, which constitutes the most important activity under this particular project. This work has the highly important object of detecting diseased or exposed animals in order that measures may be taken to prevent the spread of communicable diseases to country points. These measures, which include the dipping of sheep and cattle for scabies, the immunization of swine against hog cholera, and the testing of horses for glanders, are performed at public stockyards under the supervision of Federal employees. The discovery at public stockyards of shipments of livestock affected with communicable diseases is a very important factor in tracing infection back to its source. In a great many instances the discovery at the public markets is the first knowledge gained of the existence of disease in the district of origin. Notices sent by Federal employees to State or local authorities, there fore, enable the latter to take steps promptly to localize and eradicate outbreaks which would otherwise become widespread before information concerning them would reach the authorities. Another important result is the prevention of further movement of diseased or exposed animals which, if it were not prohibited, would certainly be a medium for carrying infection to noninfected premises and herds. The practice inaugurated following the extensive outbreak of footand-mouth disease in 1914-15 of having experienced veterinarians at public stockyards especially assigned to make careful inspections of livestock for this disease was continued during the past fiscal year. The need for this particular service has been amply demonstrated during the more recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease that have occurred in this country during 1924-25, 1929, and 1932. INSPECTION AND TREATMENT OF LIVESTOCK AT PUBLIC STOCKYARDS During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1933, the number of livestock inspected and treated at public stockyards where Bureau inspection is maintained was as follows: A total of 12.208 cars were cleaned and disinfected during the year on account of having been used in the transportation of animals affected with communicable diseases or in compliance with Department regulations, or on request of Canadian Government officials, State officials, or transportation companies. Mr. CANNON. Is this inspection and treatment at the source of infection or is it at the stockyards? Dr. MOHLER. This is all at the big stockyards. This is a stockyards sanitary operation. Mr. CANNON. Do you find that this treatment is effective? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir: it is. Mr. CANNON. For example, we have almost discontinued buying cattle in my section of the country through the stockyards when we want breeding stock, for the reason that they seldom reach us without some infection. Almost invariably they have what is known as stockyard fever and other maladies. Dr. MOHLER. Yes; shipping fever. VACCINE FOR ERADICATION OF SHIPPING FEVER IN CATTLE Mr. CANNON. Recently, in my immediate section, we have bought cattle for breeding purposes, and found that they were infected with Bangs disease. The points of shipment in Oklahoma and Kansas notified us that they were clear of disease at the time they left their farms, and that it must have been contracted en route; that is, in the stockyards. Now, is there any way of disinfecting the stockyards so that this disease will not spread? Dr. MOHLER. Are you talking about Bangs' disease now? Mr. CANNON. I am speaking first of stockyard fever, which is almost universal. Of course that is over in a few days, and we lose maybe only a steer or two; but Bangs' disease has just developed in the last year or so, and is a very serious matter. Dr. MOHLER. That is not a disease likely to be picked up in the stockyards. Mr. CANNON. But the shippers tell us that they are free of disease at the time they are shipped. Dr. MOHLER. Well, Bangs' disease, Congressman, is not picked up in stockyards, but the shipping fever is. Mr. CANNON. And you say that the stockyard fever is a prevalent malady, and that so far you have been unable to completely cope with it! Dr. MOHLER. That is right. There is a vaccine that has been discovered by the Bureau, which works very nicely if the animals are treated from 8 to 12 days before they are shipped into the yards. However, it does not have any effect when we treat them in the yards. A great many of the livestock feeders are buying cattle that have been treated in the yards with shipping fever vaccine, but the treatment is not early enough. Mr. CANNON. Is it practicable to require that vaccination in ample time before their shipment to avoid it? Dr. MOHLER. A Federal requirement would not be practicable, because it would have to be done on the range or on the farm before the animals are shipped. Mr. CANNON. How could that be reached, Doctor? Would you advise State legislation? Dr. MOHLER. Yes; it would be largely a State matter. Mr. CANNON. Has any step been taken by the Federal department to suggest to State authorities or State legislatures that legislation of this character would be valuable? Dr. MOHLER. Not to State legislatures. We have suggested it to State authorities, and we have been doing some cooperative work on |
