ANIMAL DISEASE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 7

ANIMAL DISEASE

Minister Comments On Losses

INVESTIGATION PLAN Agricultural Society’s Conference Opened During the past few months. New Zealand farmers have suffered heavy losses through animal disease, said the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, in opening the annual conference of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand, in Wellington, yesterday. The recent outbreak of facial eczema in the North Island, which had particular severity in the Waikato, and the heavy sheep mortality in Canterbury, he said, had focussed attention on the greater need for investigation and instruction in live-stock management, and all were doubtless aware that plans had been completed for comprehensive researches into both these, diseases. The facial eczema investigation would be the biggest single investigation ever carried out in New Zealand, but it would be money well spent. It might interest members of the conference to know, the Minister continued, that Cabinet set aside the sum of £lO,OOO for carrying out these investigations. “The object of all our animal work should be prevention rather than cure,” he proceeded, “and with the proposed increases in our veterinarian research and instructional services, we should be able to eliminate many of the troubles which are causing losses in stock at the present time. Such losses are costing the Dominion some millions of pounds annually, and the intensification of production has brought about an intensification of the problem. These losses are important factors in the raising of our farm costs, and they can be reduced only by a vigorously prosecuted programme of research by the best brains procurable. The department has already moved in this direction by improving the facilities at the Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory, and I can assure you that the only obstacle in the way of a more rapid increase in our live-stock services is the difficulty of procuring the men capable of carrying out the work.” The sum of £20,000 was to be spent in enlarging and improving the Wallaceville laboratory, he added. An important factor in the quality and quantity of production was that of inferior breeding stock. The standard of stock might be raised by regulatory action or by the importation of fresh blood from overseas, but more important still was a proper genetical study of the various breeding strains in the country, and from it the standardisation of type leading toward the elimination of inferiority and the development of superiority. Value of Scientists. “If we are to, have healthy live-stock in this country, the breeder must turn ■more and more to the scientificallytrained mam for help in the elucidation of his many and varied problems," proceeded the Minister. “The science of genetics has made great strides during the last 20 years, and it has been assumed at times that coincident with this advance in our knowledge of the fundamental laws of heredity there has been an equal and parallel advance in the practical art of breeding. It is commonly accepted that any advance in a pure science necessarily involves a corresponding advance in the practice of an associated art or craft. This may be true in certain instances, but it is certainly not so in the case of the relation of genetics and stock-breeding. The art of animal-breeding is far in advance of the applied science, and it is that time lag which we must eliminate. “The experienced breeder who has a thorough knowledge of genetical theory can guarantee to discover in less time, other conditions being equal, the way by breeding toward those improvements; for example, so much desired by the progressive breeder—increased quantity and improved quality of milk or meat, the creation of the dual purpose breed, or of a breed to fit any given environment —than any breeder who is ignorant of genetics though possessing an extensive knowledge of the art of breeding. “.It is to this study of scientific breeding that I ask our stud-stock breeders to pay full attention, and when we have bred the most suitable types of animals we should see that they are managed under the best principles of animal husbandry. In the work of improving our stock and thus eliminating waste, I know the Itoyal Agricultural Society will, in keeping with its ideals and the ideals of the older Itoyal societies in Great Britain, co-operate enthusiastically. I can assure you that the Department of Agriculture will also play its part. Let us work together toward a common objective.” Importation of Stud Stock. The Minister concluded by saying that he would be willing to confer with members of the society upon the ques i tion of how the restrictions upon the ' importation of stud stock from overseas ( might be lightened. He did not think there was any chance of the embargo being lifted, in view of the serious outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in England. Some people had said that the Hocks of the Dominion were deteriorating as a result of stud stock being prevented from being imported, and there was a danger of Australia getting ahead of New Zealand by reason of the policy the Commonwealth was pursuing. He would be pleased to meet a deputation from the society to discuss the subject. In moving a vote of thanks to' the Minister for his address, the president of the society, Mr. L. J. Wild, warned him that the deputation would remind him that the present Government only voted £250 to the society as against £lOOO given by previous Governments. Ho also wished to impress upon the Government that the farmers would expect to have agricultural pursuits well displayed at the centenary celebrations in 1940. It was not gold, kauri, o r flax which hird built up New Zealand in the past. 100 years, but the farmers of the country, and, therefore, agriculture should be the most, prominent exhibit at. the Centennial Exhibition.