Animal Industry Division To Be Reorganised

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29985, 21 November 1962, Page 14

Animal Industry Division To Be Reorganised

With the retirement of the director of the Animal Industry Division ait the end of this year it was intended to separate the meat inspection and animal health functions of the division and appoint a separate director of each, says a statement issued by the Department of Agriculture on the reorganisation and strengthening of its services. "Animal health and meat inspection are assuming much greater importance, and there is need tor undivided attention to both fields.

“Maintenance of accepted standards of hygiene in meat export works, abattoirs, and meat packing houses, the inspection of meat being processed. and the licensing of slaughterhouses and meatprocessing premises will be the responsibility of the director of the Meat Division. "The Animal Health Division will comprise the present staff other than those being transferred to the new Meat Division. Increasing stocking rates and improvement in the productivity and quality of stock are producing health problems. The elimination of tubercvlosis in dairy cows is engaging the attention of 250 private veterinarians under departmental

supervision, and campaigns against brucellosis and mastitis are pending. “To meet overseas requirements the Meat Division will have to be staffed at key points by qualified veterinarians specialising, as they do oversees, in meat inspection. "The main function of the Animal Health Division will be investigation end eradication of animal diseases and field investigation of stock losses. The division will take a more positive role and attempt to anticipate troubles and educate farmers in preventive measures. •The present staff of sheep and wool instructors are in no way concerned with meat inspection or animal heskh and have been transferred to the Farm Advisory Division, with which they may more appropriately perform their duties as extension officers ’ •To enable more rapid and efficient work in districts there has been a considerable decentralisation of authority away from the Department of Agriculture’s head office in Wellington to senior staff in districts. Research stations have been given greater autonomy and senior district staff have been given greater authority in regard to management, operational, and financial decisions.'*