DISEASED POULTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2850, 28 October 1908, Page 6

DISEASED POULTRY.

An unpleasant fc?ling will be created by the statements in the annual reports of-tbe Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief Veterinarian that disease amongst I'oultrv ii of considerable and increasing prevalence in t!i3 Dominion. Tuberculosis is tha most prevalent dUense, and inquiries show that it. is generally attri-

| buted to uncontrolled inbreeding of the stock, insanitary housing, and, to' some extent, to feeding with factory skim milk. There**are, however, n other diseases which have gained a greater hold in the country than is. generally suspected, and" "whicb are evidence of the wfectom of the demands which were made years ago for aj quarantine of imported . birds. A recent importation of birds, \rhich were stated 1 to have cost high, prices an England, ar- - rived in- * condition .which should have - involved their being - kept under supervision, for a\ sufficient time to aHow it to' . be- ascertained- whether that condition was the effect of neglect on the voyage -or of dfisease; but' they were allowed to be removed without restriction, prbbably to be immedltately placed in, close proximity to, if not *in contact inftth, other fowls. Poultry now forms an important part of th' 3 stock of many farms, and the introduction or dissemination of disease should 1 be strictly guarded against. Inspection' of ealeyards and of poultry "for human consumption should be enforced; as well as that- of imported birds. Some' countries already have the necessary regulations^ For instance,^in. the. Argeretin© Republic the bad condition in which poultry . is frequently imported andt the possibility of (birds intended for breeding, purposes introducing*' diseases led 'to the passing of a la-w, 'which came into Jast March, .providing that the Live, Stock Dfispartment gliall imspect all birds which* are import-sd into the country, retain.th^sewhich are suspected of being the vehicle" of any dieease, and destroy those which offer any risk of spreading any contaigious disease, or which may be unfit for human ■ consumption. Those birds, arriving dead are to be destroyed, and these which come in the same cage or which have come\ from the same place shall be considered as suspected until the cause of the death of the former shall have been ascertained. No birds will be allowed to enter the country without a sanitary certificate from the Live Stock Department.