FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3859, 28 February 1928, Page 12

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.

The widespread outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in England once more arrest attention. The spread of the disease was so rapid that the Ministry considered it necessary to declare a standstill area comprising more than'Ua dozen counties. No movements of cattle, sheep, pigs, or goats/can take place 'in the standstill area without a license from an inspector of the local authority, and in no circumstances will movement be permitted from premises in the standstill area to premises in the free area. Buch restrictions must be most irksome. The first of the present series of out-

breaks occurred during the last week of last year, bringing the list for 1927 to a total of 143 outbreaks, in connection with which there were slaughtered 4544 cattle, 3506 sheep, 1814 pigs, and 7 goats —a total of 9871 animals. The amount of compensation was approximately £llB,OOO. Experience has shown that drastic steps taken promptly are far more efficacious, and in the long run less irksome than attempts to control the disease by parochiel methods. If only the cause of the various outbreaks could with certainty be ascertained, prevention, no doubt, would be very much easier.

All sorts of opinions are given as to the cause of the disease. At a meeting of the Hereford Agricultural Committee recently Aiderman Fred Ballard, the chairman, said (states a Home exchange) that the whole trouble was due to disease in cattle leaving Ireland, and added that the disease would always spread until the Government stopped cattle leaving that country. He knew from experience that Irish cattle were full of disease, and reports to the contrary were untrue. Another councillor blamed Argentine cattle, and yet another councillor said the greatest inspection was carried out in that country; Ireland was the only place to blame. It was proved that the disease was actually introduced from the Continent in pig carcasses, and after the embargo was put on imported pork the number of outbreaks dropped considerably; but obviously there are other sources of infection. Many people blame the vast supplies of chilled beef imported into England from South America (where the disease is rife) and distributed throughout the length and breadth of the country. Additional support was lent to this view by the findings of the Foota d-Mouth Disease Research Committee that the virus of the disease could remain in the marrow of the bones of imported chilled carcasses for upwards of. 70 days, and on the surface of the skin, although the carcasses were chilled, for 30 to 35 days.

Some months ago the Argentine, Brazil, and Uruguayan Governments were asked to put in force certain restrictions to prevent obviously diseased animals from being sent from the esta.nei.as to the freezing plants. The Governments concerned were, however* a little reluctant at first to adopt those conditions, but it is believed that they are now ready to do so. Lord Bledisloe is visiting those countries, and will endeavour, we are advised, to get the Governments concerned to put the whole thing into black and white and consent to the terms which had been imposed. If these restrictions do come into force it will be a step in the right direction. “ But is it a long enough step?” (asks the Field). “ v believe that the United States of America refused to allow this chilled meat in at all owing to the risk of disease. And it is, indeed, hard lines that the British farmer should be exposed to cruel competition from an imported article which also endangers the health of his flocks and herds.” It is interesting in the foregoing connection to read what Mr A, R. Hassan, formerly the Australian Meat Council’s representative in London, has to say on the subject. Continuing his campaign anent foot-and-mouth, disease in Argentine meat, he writes: “A superintendent veterinary officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, after personal investigation, firmly of the opinion that Argentine meat wrappings were responsible for the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease Glamorgan, ipporting my oft-repeated statement ’ a.t this country runs great risks in permitting meat imports from infe d sources, which risks apply no less to the human than the live stock 1 mlation of these islands, since foot-and-mouth disease is transmissible to man I repeat that all meat originating from South America is suspect and a potential source of infection, and I go further in stating that there is no meat arriving in Britain from anywhere abroad, excepting Australia, Canada, and N w Zealand, which does not incur the s. me risks. Since 1922 compensation paid to British farmers from the Imperial Treasury amounts to nearly six millions sterling in respect to infected stock destroyed by order of the Ministry of Agriculture,.'..half of which amount was disbursed within one year. .While we continue to .draw meat from diseaseridden countries . the taxpayer will be called upon to continue to foot the bill and the Government -will be forced to continue the same drastic measures of the past to keep the disease in check. During the war period Australia and Aew Zealand sold beef to the Imperial authorities at 4|d per lb, while the trusts obliged us with a far greater quantity at more than double that unit figure. The dominions gave us every ounce, over and above that required to feed their own peoples at the expense . . e trade they had built up in Britain and abroad, thus leaving the commercial field free to the trusts to exploit in the interim, and which they have enjoyed ever since. The meat war we have been hearing so” much about ..during tlie past <.two years has been a

fight amongst the giants composing these trusts struggling to individually retain as much of the world’s trade as possible, and that portion of same which Empire producers abandoned for a far nobler cause, and which they have not been able to regain.” No one can foresee the outcome. Argentina has too good a hold on British markets to curtail meat shipments to suit producers within the Empire, and no doubt Home consumers require all the imported meat. British breeders of stud stock, however, see their purebred flocks, herds, etc., jeopardised and more or less helpless in the circumstances. Foot-and-mouth disease is unknown in the dominions, and one can realise the responsibility resting upon our veterinary staff adequately to protect these shores, and permit of no importations likely to cause infection. We believe the officers of the Department of Agriculture are alive to the importance of the matter and have framed effective regulations in regard to stock imported from abroad.