FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6441, 22 January 1924, Page 8

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

PRECAUTIONARY REGULATIONS This dreaded disease, which infects sheep, pigs, and cattle especially, has broken out in England, and is causing consternation among farmers. As the name implies, this disease is located in the mouth or in the feet of the cattle, sheep, pigs, and is caused by an exceedingly small virus which attacks the membrane of the t mouth and the junction of the skin with the hoof.

The Department of Agriculture of New Zealand has recently prohibited the importation of any animals (except horse?) from Britain until further notice. It has imposed this prohibition before, but as soon as the disease had been stamped out the prohibition was removed, and the following regulations stristly carried out instead: —

(1) Until three months have elapsed from the date of an outbreak no shipment shall be made of cattle, sheep, or pigs, which have been, since the date of the outbreak, within a radius of 15 miles round the seat of the outbreak.

(2) Special authority may be given to permit shipment of cattle, sheep, or pigs from approved area after segregation in approved premises at the port of landing for 14 days, provided that during that period outbreaks of foot and mouth disease has not occurred at the port of segregation nor in the areas from which any of the animals originated, nor had become epidemic in character. (3) The fodder accompanying the animals must be the product of a country where no foot and mouth disease has existed for six months prior to date of shipment, and must be sent direct from such country to the ship’s side, accompanied by a statutory declaration from the supplier as to its origin. (4) It is necessary that the New Zealand veterinary officer in London who'is specially appointed should be satisfied as to the origin of any fodder shipped, and approval must be obtained in each case before any definite arrangements are made as to purchase. The above also applies to fodder accompanying horses.

(5) No fodder will be allowed to be landed in New Zealand. Fodder is regarded as a common channel of infection, and the British authorities consider that the present serious outbreak is due to infected fodder from Germany. (6) The usual owner’s declaration and veterinary certificates must be furnished.

The diesase has periodically ravaged North-western Europe for generations. As the result of the disease spreading in 1869 it persisted in Great Britain until 1872, and it is estimated that three million animals were attacked. There was another virulent attack in 1881-84. In Britain 26,484 outbreaks occurred during this period, arid 710,362 animals became affected, of which 9361 died and 5874 were destroyed. The present regulations of the British Department of Agriculture permit of no other prevention or spread than slaughter, and the present outbreak has already cost the Imperial Government £1,250,000. The introduction of foot and mouth disease into New Zealand would mean ruination to our farmers and disaster to the country.