DISEASE IN MUTTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20365, 20 September 1929, Page 7

DISEASE IN MUTTON.

EXPORTS FROM ARGENTINA.

An article in a recent issue of the Farmer and Stock Breeder, an English agricultural journal, gives prominence to ♦he subject of disease in mutton imported into Great Britain. It is stated that Mr. Will Thorne, in the British House of Commons, asked the Minister of Health if he was aware that a certain number of sheep from Argentina had arrived in tho United Kingdom with the glands of the legs and shoulders carefully trimmed out and dressed in such a manner that meat inspectors in Great Britain had great difficulty in deciding whether the carcases wore affected or not with caseous lymphadenitis; and whether ho would instruct all inspecting authorities that where they found the vital points for inspection had been removed in this manner they should condemn the wholo carcase as unfit for human consumption. Sir K. Wood said it was understood that the facts were as stated in the first part of tho quostion. The view adopted by tho department and by local authorities generally was that tho removal .of the lymphatic glands, which were likely to be affected, constituted sufficient evidence to justify the seizure and condemnation of the carcase on account of that disease. The Minister did not think that it was necessary to issue special instructions to local authorities on this point. In reply to another quesfcinn, Mr. Hacking (for the Overseas Trade Department) said there were not available any details as to instructions issued by the government of Argentina to inspectors in frigorificos as to procedure in cases where they discovered animals affected with tho disease of caseous lymphadenitis, but- the department was writing. to the British ambassador in Buenos Aires for particulars.