Series consists of Livestock Division registry files and files illustrating the function of the Race Track Betting Supervision Section.
Photographs date from 1953 to 1962 and document sheep shearing and grading in southern Ontario in 1953, and sheep exhibits at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in 1961-1962.
Canada. Livestock Division : The first Dominion Livestock Commissioner, F.W. Hodson, was named in 1899 (L'Agriculture du Canada, p. 13). Hodson supervised the work of the Live Stock Division in the Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying Branch. The following year, an Act respecting the incorporation of Live Stock Record Associations was passed. It enabled the incorporation of associations (one per breed of horses, cattle, sheep or swine) for the purpose of keeping records of pure-bred livestock (63-64 Vic., Chap. 33). Also in 1900, an Act respecting the incorporation of Live Stock Record Associations was passed. It enabled the incorporation of associations (one per breed of horses, cattle, sheep or swine) for the purpose of keeping records of pure-bred livestock (63-64 Vic., Chap. 33).
In 1918, after the postwar transfer of the last of its non-agricultural administrative responsibilities, the Department divided its activities among a number of branches; one of which was the Live Stock Branch. This administrative structure, with minor changes, remained in place until 1938 (Annual Report, 1918-1919). In a major reorganization in 1938, operations of the Department were divided into five Services. The Production and Marketing Services had responsibility for most of the legislation the Department administered, including the Live Stock Division.
After a minor reorganization in 1967-1968, the work of the Department was centred in six branches; one of which was the Production and Marketing Branch. Within the Branch, the Live Stock Division improved quality of livestock and supervised race track betting. RG17 General Inventory
