Cattle Ban ‘Political’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31987, 14 May 1969, Page 32

Cattle Ban ‘Political’

(N.Z. Press Association)

MASTERTON, May 13. New Zealand’s present ban on the importing of cattle from Australia was being maintained more for political than for scientific reasons, a prominent Australian Hereford breeder said at Masterton yesterday.

He is Mr J. R. Allen, owner of the South Boorook Hereford Stud, Mortlake, Victoria.

He is interested in an exchange of stud cattle across the Tasman.

At present New Zealand is

the only country which can supply cattle to Australia to freshen blood lines there. Mr Allen feels that by buying cattle from Australia, New Zealand buyers could save themselves the expense of shipping animals from Britain. “At present it would cost a New Zealand breeder about $lOOO to bring one animal out from Britain,” he said. “It would not cost half that to bring one over from Australia.” Mr Allen said the free exchange of cattle across the Tasman was prevented by New Zealand’s ban on import of Australian animals because of the danger of introducing pleuro-pneumonia. The disease is present in an endemic form in Northern Australia, but by strict quarantine procedure it has been virtually eliminated in Victoria, where Mr Allen farms. “The disease has a 30-day incubation period, so if stock were to be exported to New Zealand from Victoria a 90day quarantine period would make the cattle safe,” he said.

Mr Allen is on a two-week tour of New Zealand to buy bulls for his stud. He believes he is the first Australian Hereford breeder to come to New Zealand on a buying mission since Australia lifted its ban on imports of stock from New Zealand. Although he was unsuccessful further north, Mr Allen obtained an option on three bulls and a heifer in Waira-

rapa yesterday. If he cannot find anything suitable in the South Island he will probably take these.