FOOT AND MOUTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 21 February 1927, Page 4

FOOT AND MOUTH.

POSITION OF DREAD DISEASE. ! AFFECTS BRITISH BREEDERS. j Reviewing the conditions relative to five stock during the year 1926, the "'Manchester Guardian"' - says:— In such a year the live stock which has earned for these isles the title of "stud farm of the world." has been a valuable asset, although this department of the industry has been hampered by numerous outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease. Although in this country the number of ! cases of the disease is but a small fraction j of those affecting Continental herds, the I scourge has cost us an enormous amount 1 of money in the actual campaign against I the disease alone as distinct from the inj direct losses sustained by farmers by j reason of the restricted overseas demand. ! In this connection it may be said that I there is a growing feeling of dissatisfaction at the action of those countries which practically lay the whole of Gre3t Britain under a ban, even when a single case of the disease affects only one small I area, and refuse to admit animals to their . ports from any part of this country, however remote the outbreak, j There is no doubt that progress is being i made in the investigation of the disease, but it seems very hard that English breeders should have to wait until the causative agent is finally run to earth by the scientist before they can take advantage of the possible demand for British i stock by such dominions as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Argentine and Uruguay, two of the principal markets for British pedigree 1 cattle, allow animals to enter their ports from county "zones" in this country which have been free from any outbreaks of the disease for three and a half months before shipment. Some such system might be adopted by the Dominions mentioned, an additional safeguard in this case being that such is the length of the voyage the disease would, if present, probably declare itself before the destination was reached. Foct-and-mouth disease has. however done one good turn to British stock men this year by shutting out the flood of Continental pig carcases in consequence of the discovery of the disease following importations of carcases from Holland.