T.B. TESTING OF CATTLE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27074, 24 June 1953, Page 8

T.B. TESTING OF CATTLE

Reactors Among HighClass Stock

SUGGESTED RETENTION FOR BREEDING (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 23. Two remits dealbig with the tuberculosis testing of cattle were considered at the annual’ conference today of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand. A remit from the Galloway Cattle Society of New Zealand was deferred for consideration next year. It read: ‘‘That, in the event of a national plan for the tuberculosis testing of beef cattle being adopted by the Government, provision be made for the preservation of any particularly valuable animal which may give a positive reaction to the test, arid which, in the opinion of the breed society concerned, should be maintained under special conditions for breeding purposes.” The Department of Agriculture will be asked whether it would be practicable to isolate a valuable animal for breeding purposes. It was claimed that a calf born of a diseased cow would not be tuberculous if it was removed before it was suckled.

A remit “that the- Royal Agricultural Society should require exhibitors of cattle to produce evidence that their exhibits are free of tuberculosis, this decision, to come into force for the 1953 Royal Show,” was carried at a meeting of the council of the society last year. The Southern District Council of Agricultural and Pastoral Associations, in whose area the ,1953 Royal Show will be held, sponsored a remit today that this decision be referred back to the council for clarification, “with a recommendation that it be waived for the forthcoming Southland Royal Show.”

Speakers in support of waiving tuberculosis testing for this year said that, because of pressure of work dn veterinary surgeons, Southland breeders had had to wait for up to 18 months before their herds had been tested. They did not think all stock could be tested before this year’s show.

Mr M. E. Lyons, of Christchurch, said that the same fears had been held in Canterbury, but the Department of Agriculture had finally promised to test all herds from which exhibits would come to his society’s show. The Southern District Council’s motion was lost. . f