HEALTH OF STOCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22933, 11 January 1938, Page 11

HEALTH OF STOCK

CAMBRIDGE EXPERT DR. J. HAMMOND ARRIVES DOMINION CAMPAIGN ADVICE ON ORGANISATION An outstanding British authority on animal diseases and animal breeding, Dr. John Hammond, F.R.S., of Cambridge University, arrived at Auckland by the Aorangi from Vancouver yesterday to spend approximately two months in the Dominion. He is to advise the Government upon the organisation of methods to combat stock disease and upon other problems which are the primary concern of the latelyestablished Animal Research Bureau. Dr. Hammond is superintendent of the Animal Research Station at Cambridge and physiologist to the Animal Nutrition Institute in the University School of Agriculture. His physiological work is recognised the world over, and he has visited many foreign countries, including the United States, Russia and the Argentine, to assist in solving local problems relating to livestock. He has been invited to New Zealand to holp in the organisation of permanent | measures to reduce the large annual loss caused by stock diseases and to maintain and improve the quality of the Dominions' meat exports. Welcome by Officials On his arrivel yesterday, Dr. Hammond was met by an official party which included Dr. E. Marsden, secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; the Directoi'-General of Agriculture, Mr. A. H. Cockayne; Professor W. Riddet, of Massey College, and the director of the Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory, Dr. C. S. M. Hopkirk. Dr. Hammond inspected two herds of beef cattle at Mangere in the afternoon, and in the evening he discussed arrangements for his investigations and for a proposed six weeks' tour of both islands. In addition to the departmental officials, Sir William Hunt was present in his capacitv as a member of the Meat Producers' Board. Dr. Hammond is staying at the Station Hotel. Preventive Research Describing the purpose of his visit, Dr. Hammond said in an interview that the experience of all countries had been that as any particular animal industry was developed diseases became more prevalent and had to be brought under control. "In New Zealand," Dr. Hamnwnd continued, "I hope first to visit typical farms in the principal pastoral districts in order to see the conditions under which the animals are reared and to meet farmers and learn all I can on the spot about their In the second place, I intend to visit research institutions to see how far they are dealing with the real problems of stock-raising and what staff and facilities they have. My task is to advise the Government on how best to organise the work of the Animal Research Bureau, rather than on means of dealing with any individual problem."

Dr. Hammond mentioned that he had a wide acquaintance with New Zealand lamb, mutton, beef and pork. There was no question about the quality of the lamb, and the pork, many carcases of which he had judged for suitability, was the best on the London market. Chilled beef bad not yet reached the Argentine level, but there was no reason why it should not do so in course of time. Improvement of Bacon Pigs New Zealand producers were making efforts to improve the quality of their bacon pigs, and Mr. C. P. McMeekan, formerly of Massey College, had been working under him at Cambridge for a year on research which might do much toward solving the problem. Dr. Hammond heartily commended the formation of an Animal Research Bureau in New Zealand, because, he said, it would enable the very good research work now carried on to be co-ordinated and organised. Dr. Hammond will visit the works of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company and R. and W. Hellaby, Limited, to-dav, and to-morrow he will leave for Hamilton, inspecting the freezing works at Westfield and various farms en route. He will be at the Ruakura State Farm on Thursday, and on Friday evening will deliver an illustrated public lecture in the Alexandra Hall, Hamilton, at which the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, will preside. The meeting has been arranged by the South Auckland Dairy Association. HYDATIDS Iff SHEEP 'SERIOUS POSITION ALLEGED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday "Half the sheep in New Zealand are affected with hydatids. If we could get the farmers to unite, however, we could eliminate the parasite from New Zealand in two years," said Mr. A. Paterson, M.R.C.V.S., when lecturing on parasitic diseases in sheep, at Temuka, South Canterbury. "Only by concerted action among the farmers can the country be freed from these pests," he said. If the hydatids menace was not eradicated, the export trade" of the Dominion would suffer in the future. When Britain became more self-sup-porting, the existence of hydatids in New Zealand would be used as a lever to reduce, or perhaps eliminate, the importation of lamb and mutton from the Dominion. The only remedy would be a revolutionary change in farming practice, said Mr. Patex-son. This should be begun by ridding the dogs of the cyst and getting to work on the sheep.