The board of supervisors of any county in the State of Mississippi may, by order entered on the minutes of said board, express their intention to engage in the eradication of tuberculosis, in livestock under the area plan in co-operation with the board of animal health, and the United States Bureau of Animal Industry. Such order so entered upon the minutes of said board shall be published for thirty days in a newspaper published in said county and having a general circulation therein, and at the expiration of said thirty days if twenty per cent or more of the qualified electors of said county shall not file with said board a petition protesting against said order, the board shall enter an order upon their minutes to so engage in said eradication provided for in the previous order; but should twenty per cent or more of the qualified electors of said county file with said board a petition protesting against said order, then the board of supervisors shall call an election, after having given the notice required by law, and if a majority of the qualified electors of said county voting at said election in favor of engaging in such eradication, then the board shall enter upon its minutes an order to that effect; should a majority of the qualified electors of said county voting fail to vote in favor of engaging in such eradication, then said board shall enter an order upon its minutes refusing to engage in such eradication.