FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 153, 14 June 1932, Page 11

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

IMPORTATION OF STOCK. THE EMBARGO NECESSARY. Even at the expense of making themselves a “laughing stock”—as was suggested at the Canterbury A. and I’. Association meeting last Wednesday bysupporters of the easing of the embargo against tho importation of stock from countries infected with foot-and-mouth disease—it is to be hoped that the subjects of the ridicule will stand solidly against such a serious step being taken (states the “Press”). Tho discussion certainly centred around the operation of the backdoor method of getting in stock through Australia, but any laxity iu this direction would make the regulations against direct importation quite useless and ineffective.

The discussion produced the surprising information from one speaker that as far as research work is concerned Australian veterinarians are recognised as the “greatest in the world.” The failure of British veterinarians to rid their sheep of scab —in which they could take a lesson from our own little Dominion—- and the lack of progress in banishing foot-and-mouth disease, may give some support as far as Home veterinarians are concerned to this oracular claim. But that is beside tho point.

The meat export trade of Now Zealand is one of its three main industries. In Australia it is not, and risks may be taken there that cannot bo taken in this country. The Dominion enjoys a proud immunity from serious stock pests, ami it would not be a laughing matter if any laxity in dealing with the importation of stock resulted in that, immunity being lost. Some years ago the United States placed an embargo against Argentine beef on account of the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease in the latter country. It. might bo argued that the United Kingdom does not do this, and therefore there would be no fear of our Home market being endangered, but New Zealand meat producers have not entirely abandoned hope that some day the United States lamb and mutton outlet will be reopened to them It is probable that some of the speakers at. Wednesday’s meeting were unaware that there had been an outbreak of the disease just before the last Homo mail had loft. Had they known it is improbable that the discussion would have drifted so far as it did towards a relaxation of the embargo. Identically the same conditions exist to-day in regard to tho incidence and the control of the disease as existed when farmers’ organisations unanimously protested against the embargo being relaxed. Another aspect is that breeders at tho moment are not keenly desirous of importing stock, for tho most obvious reasons, so that there is no justification for the Dominion embarking on a policyfraught with so much risk. When a reasonably lengthy period of freedom from the disease elapses in England the farming community here will be only too pleased at once to reonon the door, and to an extent that, will compensate for lost time, ns there is a definite need for new blood in at least some of the more important sheep breeds.