In this chapter, 'commissioner' means the commissioner of environmental conservation.

The commissioner may either independently or in cooperation with the United States Department of the Interior or a college or a university or like institution employ veterinarians for periods found to be to the best advantage for the purpose of aid and service to the fur raising industry, and for the purpose of aid and service to those engaged in raising livestock and other domestic animals.

Veterinarians shall

(1) visit the fur farms of the state, study problems incidental to raising fur bearing animals, and advise those engaged in the industry in matters pertaining to the breeding and care of fur bearing animals and the prevention and cure of diseases of fur bearing animals;

(2) prepare, publish, and distribute such data as the veterinarian, with the advice and consent of the commissioner, considers useful to those engaged in the industry;

(3) make reports to the commissioner when required by the commissioner for transmittal to the state legislature;

(4) initiate and carry on experiments, on or in connection with a fur farm, with relation to the care and feeding of fur bearing animals, the improvements of the breed, or the cure or prevention of any disease to which they may be subject or the extermination of the parasites by which they may be attacked, and in this connection employ and pay for the necessary assistance and rent and use of necessary facilities;

(5) perform other duties as may be prescribed by the commissioner as are not inconsistent with the duties specifically imposed by this chapter;

(6) study problems incidental to the raising of livestock and other domestic animals, and advise those engaged therein upon matters pertaining to the breeding, care, and the prevention and cure of diseases of livestock and other domestic animals.