Foot and Mouth Disease

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 10, 6 October 1932, Page 11

Foot and Mouth Disease

Sir, —This is a question that not only affects the farming community but every living person, and the generations to be born in this country. The reasons given for admitting live stock are unimportant by comparison with the risk of allowing infection of this country with foot-and-mouth disease, whether that risk be small or great. To give as an excuse that there are already avenues open by way of other countries than Great Britain from whence the disease may be imported, is simply condemnation of those authorities upon whom we should be able to rely for protection. That it is absolutely essential for the time being that new blood must be imported I do not believe.. After all, how many out of the stock imported are a success or an acquisition to the studs, of the Dominion? As the farm and station manager to Messrs. Nelson Bros, for many years, my experience was that quite a small percentage were of value, even though prior to export to this country the animals had been awarded honours at leading English shows. To own the latesr importation is, no doubt, quite an advertisement for the owner’s particular flock or stud, but to those who realise what infection would mean, to this little country it is too serious to take into account any fanciful notions. There are those who pin their faith to the protection of. the Department of Agriculture, but to the writer a department that could allow the ox warble fly to be released in this country is not one to inspire confidence. .. . Conditions are ideal in New Zealand for the propagation of the ox warble fly, and it will be mere luck if it does not establish itself. If it should, the loss in hide value and in cattle when attacked on rough steep country will, I predict, be enormous, and when once established, as with foot-and-mouth disease, it will never be wiped our. Reverting to the necessity for immediate further importations of live stock. W» will leave the financial side alone, and as to whether an increase in fencing wire iniports would not be a wiser investment at the moment. There should be sufficient high-class animals in this country, which if made the best use of by those wellknown breeders who have already accomplished so much, that there should be no question of the quality of our live stock deteriorating, and by judicious selection improvement might eventuate. The men who made the Corriedale and who have so improved the Romney and other breeds of sheep that they are preferable to British stock for exportation to the Argentine and other countries, can be trusted to maintain the standard. Where did the famous breeders of Britain get. their new blood? Was not what they did due to selection? Go a few thousand years back to the first sheepbreeder by selection, Jacob—he made succeses enough surely, and he carried our his ideals from within the one flock. . . . —I am, etc., JOHN LANE. Havelock North, October 3.