CATTLE DISEASE

Southland Times, Issue 19123, 15 December 1923, Page 5

CATTLE DISEASE

SERIOUS POSITION IN ENGLAND. SLAUGHTER OR ISOLATION? (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). (Reuter’s Telegrams.) LONDON, December 13. The drastic slaughtering of cattle proceeding in consequence of the serious spread of foot and mouth disease, is evoking criticism of the Government’s policy. A motion was submitted to a meeting of the Council of Agriculture in favour of the substitution of an isolation policy for slaughter. The Minister (Sir R. A. Sanders), in opposing the idea, declared that experience had shown that isolation on a large scale was useless. The Government was prepared to continue the policy of slaughtering the infected animals up to a cost in compensation of at least £1,500,000. The motion was rejected almost unanimously. Some 58 fresh outbreaks were reported to-day, making a total of 1,074 cases in thirty-nine counties. In all 70,000 animals have been slaughtered up to the present, including 35,000 cattle. Some 28 in England, two in Wales and nine in Scotland are infected. Since August 26, 70,000 beasts have been destroyed, the compensation paid farmers totalling £1,045,000. Mr Hancock, a well-known Lancashire and Cheshire farmer, says that farmers believe the time has come to stop the slaughter policy of the Ministry of Agriculture and let farmers try to cure the cattle of the disease. “This,” he added, “is the heaviest blow to the dairying industry in living memory. I believe the growing heavy clouds of smoke from cremation pyres are spreading the plague. Flocks of rooks are also acting as germ carriers.” THE RINDERPEST. FURTHER CASES REPORTED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PERTH, December 14. Two fresh cases of rinderpest are reported from Freemantle. A Board of Experts has been appointed to take steps to deal with the disease. Other States have been requested to take precautionary measures to protect Australia’s export cattle trade.