BRITISH EXPORT TRADE IN LIVE STOCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 14

BRITISH EXPORT TRADE IN LIVE STOCK.

The volume of trade in live stock from Great Britain for the period of five years between 1905 and 1910 is represented by 57,789 horses, 4830 cattle, 8791 sheep, and 1181 pigs, of a total value of £1,467,912. In dealing with the character and extent of the British export trade the departmental committee appointed for thvt purpose, in its voluminous report deprecates the practice of exporting inferior or unsuitable pedigree stock, but gave no indication of how that was to be controlled. It was stated that when an opening copurs in a new country, where nothing but good quality stock should be sgnt, some breeders send low-priced animals which should never have left British shores, and that certain countries have imported so much and graded up their stock to such an extent that nothing is any use to them but the very best. In other countries deterioration from climatic and other causes sent the breeders back for fresh blood. The general consensus of opinion among breeders who gave evidence was that the colonial demand for purebred stock was increasing to some extent, but at a smaller rate than the foreign demand, and that the trade would develop if greater facilities existed. Suggestions were considered for extending the trade, one of which was that organised visits by representatives of colonial and foreign breed societies be arranged for, the visitors to be men of experience selected locally, who would go to Great Britain as official guests. They would be taken round the principal shows and typical farms, and it was anticipated their reports would be valuable advertisements for British live stock. It was also suggested that the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries should be a channel through which information should flow from breeder to buyer, and vice versa, and that the board should collect and supply all useful information relating to the export of stock. The establishment of a Government station for the purpose of testing Jive stock before exportation was also recommended. It was indicated that this station should exist in any case, but especially to meet the requirements of the Argentine in re the tubercular test. Dissatisfaction was expressed with reference to railway charges to the port of shipment, and the extreme rates demanded for insurance. The recommendations of the committee were as follows: 1. The export of inferior or unsuitable pedigree stock should be discouraged. 2. In the appointment of Consuls to certain districts a knowledge of British live stock should he taken into consideration. 3. The Intelligence Division of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries should he enlarged so as to provide a “Bureau of Information’’ for increasing the facilities as regards the export of pedigree stock. 4. The official volume, entitled “The British Breeds of Live Stock,” should be supplied to British Consuls and presented to representative agricultural bodies in certain countries. 5. Official encouragement and assistance should be given to the system of keeping milk records. 6. It is desirable that in the case of countries where exporters of British live stock find difficulties to exist in connection with the tuberculin and other teste, the Government of each country concerned should in the first place be invited to appoint an official in this country for the purpose of testing animals Tjefore exportation, as the American and Australian Governments

have already done. In the event of any Government declining to adopt this proposal, steps should be taken to ascertain whether the authorities concerned would recognise a certificate issued at a Government testing station in this country, and the committee recommends that an official testing fetation (or stations) should be established accordingly, if the exportation of live stock now or in the future would seem to justify the capital and annual expenditure necessary. 7. There should be no relaxation of the existing live stock import regulations, which tend to prevent the introduction of contagious animal diseases into this country. 8. Official assistance should be given for research work as regards the prevention and cure of contagious animal diseases. 9. If the existing law is insufficient, it should be strengthened in order to penalise a person who treats an animal so a.s to falsify, or with intent to falsify, the result of a test by inoculation or otherwise which is required by a statute or regulation or otherwise, or with intent to defraud, causes any test to give a false result. 10. The attention of veterinary institutions which grant diplomas in this country should be drawn to the importance of providing thorough instruction in the application of the tuberculin test. 11. The law should be strengthened, if necessary, in order to penalise a person who obtains by false pretences a certificate of registration of an animal, or who fraudulently uses any such certificates. 12. Exporters should consider whether they would prefer any reasonable alternative to the present system of charging for the carriage of live stock by passenger train, forwarding their agreed suggestions to the railway companies, either directly or through the. Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. 13. Exporters should (a) consider the rates charged for single animals sent by goods trains, and (b) ascertain whether the charges are based on the shortest route, and should, if necessary, communicate with the railway companies either directly or through the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. 14. The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries should request the breed societies to draw the attention of their members to the fact that the board are prepared to investigate complaints as to excessive railway charges or insufficient facilities. 15. Official action should be taken against shipping combines when necessary to prevent any prejudicial effect on the export of live stock owing to the system of deferred rebate. 16. It is desirable that the Governments of certain countries which import British live stock should he approached with the view of securing their acceptance of official export certificates issued by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. This last recomnnedation is somewhat ambiguous, but no doubt refers to the veterinary certificate at present issued, which certifies that the country is free from infectious diseases. _