BULLS FOR ARGENTINA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21597, 15 September 1933, Page 13

BULLS FOR ARGENTINA

INFECTED IN QUARANTINE BUENOS AIRES STATION \ —— - f ANIMALS FROM SCOTLAND [by telegraph—OWN* correspondent] "WELLINGTON, Thursday "Recent statements were given wide publicity in the South to the effect that some Shorthorn bulls, exported from Scotland to the Argentine, were found affected by foot-and-mouth disease while in the quarantine station at Buenos Aires, the inference being that they had carried the infection with them from Scotland," stated the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture, Dr. C. J. Reakes, to-day.

"In view of the seriousness of this suggestion, the High Commissioner in London was asked to ascertain what were the actual facts. Information has now been received from him by cablegram to the effect that the animals in question arrived at Buenos Aires in a healthy condition, but were attacked with foot-and-mouth disease while in the quarantine station there, infection having been introduced by an attendant who had previously been in contact with diseased animals. "It was further stated that these particular animals had not passed through the London quarantine station before being shipped to the Argentine. This last statement, however, is not in any way intended to indicate that passing through that quarantine station would have made any difference in this case, seeing that the animals arrived at their destination in an entirely healthy condition. Had they become infected before leaving the United Kingdom they' would have developed the disease before reaching the Argentine, •as the incubation 'period is a very short one. "This is not the first case of imported animals having become infected with foot-and-mouth disease while in the Buenos Aires quarantine station. The same thing happened with, some British cattle about 18 months ago, and on an earlier occasion a ram shipped from New Zealand also became infected while in quarantine at Buenos Aires. All the information available indicates clearly that the operation of the British Government's quarantine station in London has been entirely successful in ensuring that animals passed through it before shipment abroad have remained free from foot-and-mouth disease infection."