ANIMAL HEALTH

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 20 (Supplement)

ANIMAL HEALTH

RELATIONSHIP TO DAIRYING IMPORTANCE TO WHOLE DOMINION. RESEARCH IN PAST 40 YEARS. (By W. C. Barry, M.R.C.V.S., Director, Livestock Division, Department of Agriculture). A survey of the animal health of any country over a period of time is enlightening, and no doubt a short reference to animal disease as affecting the Taranaki Province during the past forty years, will be of interest to all Taranaki farmers. The relative importance of the health of its livestock to an essentially stock-rais-ing and dairying country, such as New Zealand, cannot be exaggerated. The losses occasioned in some countries through disease in livestock is appalling, and the farmers of New Zealand can consider themselves extremely fortunate in that the more serious animal plagues, ■which so materially affect the industry elsewhere, a are' absent in this country. One has only to mention a few such as Rinderpest, pleuro-pneumonia, tick fever, foot-and-mouth disease, glanders, rabies, swine fever, etc., to realise this. If, however, the more serious animal plagues are absent, we have with us the more common diseases of stock, which in themselves are quite capable of causing considerable economic losses. Taranaki, like other i intensive dairying districts of the Dominion, has its share of stock troubles, but not an undue share, as speaking generally it is a district in which the health of stock is well maintained. For instance, it can be said that the incidence of tuberculosis in cattle is lower in Taranaki than in some other dairying centres of the Dominion.

Forty years ago the veterinary service in New Zealand was in its infancy. Dr. J. A. Gilruth had just then been appointed to the service of the New Zealand Government, and he was joined three years later by Dr. C. J. Reakes (the pre-

sent Director-General of Agriculture). The names of Gilruth and Reakes will go down to posterity as the pioneers of veterinary work in New Zealand. To the professional ability and organising genius of those men lies the credit of whatever New Zealand to-day owes to the veterinary profession. l ■ ' * ■

In the annual report of Dr. Gilruth for the year 1894, one finds reference to tuberculosis, actinomycosis, bots in horses, abortion disease,. Winton disease (ragwort poisoning), parasitic disease in sheep, etc, as being present in the , colony (as New Zealand was then designated). Referring to abortion Dr. Gilruth said: .“Abortion amongst cows-in New Zealand is fairly prevalent in certain districts, particularly Hawera, Taranaki.” Reference to the presence of mammitis in cows was made a year later. An outbreak of swine fever occurred

in 1898 in the Southland district, the investigations being carried out by Dr Reakes. During the same year the presence of this disease was reported in Taranaki, and between this and 1902 several other outbreaks occurred here also. Swine fever was stamped out in 1902, and from then until 1933 the country was free from this serious disease of pigs—a period of immunity which is unique in pig-raising countres. In May of last year, however, the existence of swine fever was confirmed on some pig-farms in the Johnsonville and Lower Hutt districts, near Wellington. Drastic measures of control were at once instituted. The disease was located in all on thirteen pigfarms in the area. It is satisfactory to record that by the middle of July the disease had been eradicated. No further cases have occurred, and a serious menace to the pig-breeding industry was again removed. ANTHRAX ELIMINATED. In connection with outbreaks of anthrax in' New Zealand, Taranaki has had some prominence in past years. In 1899 anthrax was discovered oh farms at Manaia, Rahotu and at New Plymouth. In 1900 two outbreaks occurred near Waitara. Again in 1901, it was noted on a farm near Waitara. In 1903 some cases occurred at Kaupokonui. Another outbreak occurred near New Plymouth in 1906. It having been determined that the source of infection was in imported bone manures, a system of manure sterilisation in the exporting country was made ..compulsory, and this practically marked the end of anthrax in New Zealand. No cases have been recorded in Taranaki since the last date referred to. In the occurrence of blackleg, a disease of young bovines, Taranaki can lay claim to special distinction. The first special mention of this disease was made in 1901, when it was stated that a large number.of cases had occurred in Taranaki, and that the disease appeared to be spreading. The first vaccination of calves'took place in 1902, the vaccine being imported from America. The results were stated to have been satisfactory. In 1904 regulations dealing with the control of blackleg were gazetted. In 1905 blackleg vaccine was manufactured at the Wallaceville laboratory, and this practice has been continued up to the present day. It is not necessary to dwell at great length on the benefits accruing from blackleg vaccination—it has become, long ago, an accepted method of control, and its benefits are appreciated by all Taranaki farmers, as having saved them enormous losses in calves from blackleg. It might be mentioned that a new form of liquid vaccine (formalinised) is being prepared at the Wallaceville laboratory during the past three years. This vaccine is giving every satisfaction, and is much more conveniently used than the old dried form.

In concluding this retrospect, ’ perhaps it is permissible to wish the dairy farmers of Taranaki a speedy return to mote profitable times, and to assure them of !a ‘watchful interest and ready willingness to help them in their stock troubles by the Livestock Division of the Department of Agriculture.