TUBERCULOSIS IN HERDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23072, 24 June 1938, Page 14

TUBERCULOSIS IN HERDS

ELIMINATION ESSENTIAL EFFORTS OF COMPETITORS [by tSlecrapji—press association] NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday "If New Zealand is to hold her place in the British dairy market, every traco of tuberculosis in our herds must be wiped out," the president, Mr. A. Morton, told the National Dairy Conference. Tha percentage of tuberculosis in New Zealand dairy stock was very low, but other countries were eliminating the disease altogether and making this fact widely known in Britain. Mr. Morton referred to the visit to New Zealand of two of the greatest authorities in tho world on animal disease problems. Dr. Hucker, of the United, States,, and Dr. Hammond, of Cambridge University, and expressed the hope that everything possible would be done to free Now Zealand dairy herds of the disease. He could not be too emphatic hi impressing on every farmer in New Zealand the absolute necessity of getting rid of tuber- • culosis' altogether Certainly there was very little of the disease in New Zealand herds, much less than in competitive countries, but the position could not bo left at that. New Zealand's competitors for tin; British market were taking strong and steps to wipe out tuberculosis. I'hey wore keeping British people well itiforn.ed of their progress and when the disease disappeared altogether the fact that butter being offered the British public was made from the milk of cows which were guaranteed free of tuberculosis would be . widely advertised. New Zealand must be in a position to lie able to do the same or iier sales woidd suffer accordingly. "The time may come when we farihers have charge of our own marketing again," said Mr. Morton. "We want ,to be ready to do this to the best advantage, and to do this we must be able to guarantee that our herds are free of disease." Me added that if overseas countries could get rid of tuberculosis when 4U per cent of the stock 'was affected, New Zealand should not have great difficulty in following smt with less than 7 per cent of the dairy cattle affected.