FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22117, 24 May 1935, Page 14

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

•Sir, —I hare before me the ■Californian Department of Agriculture's special publication on the epizootic of foot and mouth disease in California, February 17, 1924, to June 10, 1926, unci it says that the cost of eradication was 6,151,182.75 dollars and out of this amount the sum of 4,350.008.16 dollars, shared equally by the State and Federal Governments, was paid for animals slaughtered and property destroyed. The balance of 1,301,374.59 dollars covered the cost of operating expenses. In addition, the various counties expended approximately 800.000 dollars. Outbreaks occurred in the United Kingdom every year from 1910 to ]916 and after freedom in 1917 there was a recurrence iti 1918. Since then the disease lias been almost constantly present in one part of Great Britain or another. In 1923-24 there were 3544 outbreaks in 34 counties out of the 40 counties in England, and 217,630 slaughterings and burnings. In those days a fair averse would be £2O for each of these beasts, and on top of that must be added the huge amount for operating expenses, which in California you will notice was a third or the total cost. When one knows those appalling facts, how can one possibly respect the greatly lauded Kngbsn regulations of control, for this is trying to stamp out the disease which has been there since 1839, now nearly 100 years; 85 per cent of calves from affected and in-contact cows die. Waikato Faiimeb.