(1) The boards of supervisors of any county, or one or more counties, are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to establish areas composed of one or more counties for the purpose of cooperating with the Board of Animal Health and the United States Bureau of Animal Industry, separately or jointly, in providing for a program of control and eradication of certain diseases of livestock and poultry within such area established.

(2) Boards of supervisors of any county or counties acting under the authority conferred by this section are authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to contribute to the support of such area program in an amount equal to thirty-three and one-third per cent of the cost of administering the program in such area. The cost of administering such program to be determined by the board and entered upon their minutes at the time funds are appropriated for the support of same. The funds herein authorized to be expended by the board or boards of supervisors of each county or group of counties comprising such area shall be paid out of the General Fund of such county or counties on order of the board of supervisors duly entered on their minutes.

(3) The Board of Animal Health is hereby authorized to purchase and supply at cost any vaccine necessary for use in control and eradication of diseases of livestock and poultry in such area hereby authorized to be established, to the owners of livestock or poultry residing in an area cooperating with the control program hereby authorized.

(4) In order that any area created under the provisions of this section may have the services of a veterinarian, the board of animal health is hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to employ a veterinarian for such area, and such area veterinarian shall have the authority to employ local veterinarians with the approval of the board of animal health, and the board of supervisors of the county or counties comprising such area are authorized and empowered to contribute to the payment of the salary of such veterinarians employed by the board of animal health.