TUBERCULIN TESTING.

Waipa Post, Volume IV, Issue 180, 17 January 1913, Page 4

TUBERCULIN TESTING.

AN EYE-OPENER FOR IMPORTERS

In dealing with tuberculosis testing of cattle for the Argentine the Farmer and Stock Breeder (London) has the following, which is of interest to stock importers at this end : “It seems very unsatisfactory to be told officially that something like 25 per cent of exported animals that have been tested in Great Britain should prove tuberculosis when submitted to similar tests on the other side. The loss to exporters is terrible, and it looks very much like bungling on one side. Of 15 bulls reported upon by Mr Alfred Marston, M.R.C.V.S., at Buenos Ayres, one only seems to have afforded any excuse for not discovering the disease on this side of the water. He is generous enough to say that ‘ no doubt the tests were honestly carried out by the practitioners employed, but there must be something wanting somewhere.’

“It would not seem to be a question of ‘ honesty,’ but rather of capacity to.make careful observations, and is duly qualified men fail in tuberculin testing, how much the more likely will be those lay inoculators who wish to carry through the test themselves. A roan bull, marked No. 86 on horn, proved to have no diseased glands, and his slaughter is pretty rough on the exporter; but others with a clean bill of health were found to have ‘ advanced tuberculosis,’ tuberculosis of glands of testicles,’ ‘ tuberculosis of throat,’ ‘ intestines, and testicles,’ ‘ generalised tuberculosis of old origin,’ ‘tuberculosis of lungs and liver of old origin,’ and so on. In the cases of ‘ old origin ’ one cannot understand why the characteristic reaction was not obtained if the right material was employed. These did not develop in two 01three weeks of travel by sea and land.

“Mr Marston says : ‘Of course it is obvious that in many cases the animals must have been tempered with before the tests were made.’ Most breeders will agree with him in Blinking that ‘ the only remedy is an official testing station under observation.’ If the Argentine Government would set up such a station on this side, and employ its own officials to make a test, which should give entry as ‘clean’ on the other side, exporters will be willing to pay a fee. that might be charged to the insurance side of the business.” It is interesting to note in the above connection that all live stock shipped to New Zealand from the port of London is examined by the New Zealand veterinary officer, who, by arrangement, also acts in this capacity for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. Further, this officer’s services are always available to any New Zealand importer for the purpose of applying the tuberculin test to any cattle proposed to be purchased in Great Britain, a reasonable fee being charged. Last year this veterinary officer examined the following stock Reexport to the Dominion 26 horses, 16 bulls, lOheifers. I cow, 21 rams, 71 ewes, and 39 dogs, as well as 13 horses, 21 dogs, and 3 heifers for the Commonwealth of Australia. Except under very special circumstances, the animals are again tested on arrival here, so that if dosing is resorted to before the test is applied in London it is detected at this end.