LIVESTOCK EMBARGO

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 24 (Supplement)

LIVESTOCK EMBARGO

ENGLISH BREEDERS’ VIEWS EVERY PRECAUTION TAKEN. Mr. A. W. Lipscomb, previously chief instruotor in agriculture at the Christchurch Technical College, and at present visiting Great Britain, has some candid comment to make on the live-stock embargo. Mr. Lipscomb recently visited the animal quarantine station on the Thames, where the veterinary officers showed in detail how careful and complete are the measures for quarantining live stock which are to be exported from Britain. “The authorities here,” said M r > Lipscomb, “felt very keenly the prohibition imposed by New Zealand on the i portation of animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease. I feel as the officials here do. I think it is generally recognised that Great Britain is still the stud farm of the world, and it is only by having recourse to the fountain head of pure blood and the finest strains that New Zealand can hope to keep her stock tip to concert pitch of perfection. For 40 years New Zealand consented to import animals from Great Britain, and not

one case of foot and mouth disease came into the Dominion. Since those days, however, New Zealand has tightened up her regulations and prohibited further entry. ■ At the same time, England, in an endeavour to do her part, took greater precautions, too. “Eight years ago, the London Quarantine Station was established, and as I inspected it a few weeks ago I was tremendously impressed with the thoroughness of its organisation. Every possible precaution is taken. The Ministry for Agriculture is willing to isolate and conduct a daily examination of animals held there over a period of three weeks—more than a week longer than the incubation period of foot and mouth disease. Then

there is the six weeks’ voyage to New! Zealand. Surely, if the disease is dormant, it will manifest itself during that time!”