Twelfth and thirteenth annual reports of the Bureau of Animal Industry for the fiscal years 1895 and 1896.
- Bureau of Animal Industry
- Date:
- 1897
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Twelfth and thirteenth annual reports of the Bureau of Animal Industry for the fiscal years 1895 and 1896. Source: Wellcome Collection.
19/444 page 15
![swine. Unfortunately tlioro is no uuthovity i]i the law for sneh inspec- tion, and horses are allowed to enter tlie coimtry without an3' sanitar5'- supervision. This trade, as at i5resent conducted, is therefore a menace to the animal industry, and I renew the recommendation of iny last report that the subject be brought to the attention of Congress, witli the view of securing additional legislation. If such imported animals, on inspection, are found affected Avith a dangerous contagious disease thej^ should be refused entrance and either slaughtered or i*eturned to the eountrj'' whence tlic}'^ came. Horses for export should also be inspected and certified the same as are other species of animals. Our exports of horses are becoming quite heavy, and the lack of inspection should not be allowed to stand as a reason for other countries to prohibit the trade, particularlj'- as the inspection may be conducted by the force already in the field and witlx no appreciable increase in the expenditures. The question of contagion has already been raised b}^ certain foreign countries in connection with exported horses, and it can not be properly met by this Government xintil authority is given by Congress to inspect and certify healthy horses and reject those affected A^ith contagious disease. EXPENSES OP QUARANTINING IMPORTED ANIIIALS. The act of August 30, 1890, provides That the Secretary of Agri- culture be, and is hereby, authorized, at the expense of the OAvner, to place and retain in quarantine all neat cattle, sheep, and other rumi- nants, and all SA\ine, imported into the United States. There is, however, no means provided in the law by AAdiich the expenses of quar- antine may be collected in case the OAvnei- ^refuses to pay. It has been assumed that the expenditures necessary for the feed and care are a lien upon the animals, and that, in case of the OAvner's refusal to pay, the animals may be sold and the proceeds used to defray such expenses! The experience of the past year has shown, however, that in the absence of specific legislation authorizing the sale of the animals cmbarrassiug complications may arise. It is desirable, therefore, that the law should be amended so as to giA^e a lien upon imported animals for the quar- antine expenses, and authorizing their sale at the expiration of the quarantine period in case such expenses are not paid. This provision should also apply to animals smuggled across the boundary and after- wards captured and quarantined, as well as to those Avhieh have in any other Avay evaded the requirement for inspection and quarantine at the port of entry. MEAT INSPECTION—SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SERVICE. _ It has been shoAvn above that during the last fiscal year there Avere inspected more than 18,000,000 animals at the time of slaughter This demonstrates the rapid extension of the meat-inspection service, and ^^'}^f\^^r. '''T 'T^f'^^? ^lien the proAisions of sections 2 and 3 of the act ot March 3,1801, as amended in the act of March 2 I8J0, must be strictly enforced. Briefly, these sections provide that no beef shall be exported unless the cattle from Avhich it is produced are inspected before slaughter, and a certificate of inspection accom- ?.L ? f «lf^glitor m case the meat made from them is to bo shipped from one State into any other State.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21780377_0021.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
