VETERINARY CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22689, 1 July 1937, Page 17

VETERINARY CONFERENCE

GOOD PROGRESS IN FIGHTING DISTEMPER REMOVAL OF STOCK EMBARGO ADVOCATED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, June 30. That only tuberculin tested cows should be used to supply milk for human consumption is the opinion of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, which passed a motion on the subject at its conference which concluded in Wellington to-day. A copy of the resolution is to be sent to the Municipal Corporations Conference. The association expressed entire approval of the Bill concerning the registration of draught stallions and decided to convey its opinion to the Clydesdale Society. Mr A. M. Brodie (Hastings) said that with the cessation of horse breeding there had been an amazing degeneration in horses in Hawke’s Bay. New Zealand had lost its exports to Australia, which was going to Scotland for stallions instead.

“It is confidently hoped it will be only a short time before the veterinary profession will be in a position to cope with distemper and prevent the great losses caused- in the' dog world by this disease,” said Mr Brodie, outlining the work which had been carried out in Hawke’s Bay in inoculating dogs with a serum, virus to prevent distemper. One difficulty had been overcome when it was discovered that the virus, travelling in cold storage from England, retained its potency for six weeks on arrival m New Zealand,

“As in all virus diseases, there is no hope of obtaining 100 per cent, efficiency through inoculation, but we believe that this method, which is fairly easily applied, will give 80 per cent, efficiencyMr Brodie concluded. Immediate steps by the Government to withdraw the present restrictions on the free importation of live stock from. Great Britain were :.dvocated ; the association reaffirming its resolution on the question, which it adopted in 1932 and: has affirmed each year since.