FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 150, 27 June 1931, Page 8 (Supplement)

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

SOUTHERN RHODESIAN OUTBREAK. The Union Government of South. Africa has taken steps to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, which has broken out in Southern Rhodesia, some fifty miles from the Union border, when 23,000 cases arc said to have occurred. All importations of cattle, sheep, and pigs have been stopped from Rhodesia, and no importations are allowed from the Bechuanaland Protectorate, within a hundred miles of the Rhodesian border. A force of some seventy extra police has been drafted for patrol duty along the border and the Zoutpans Berg Mountains, which form a natural barrier. It x\ ill be closely guarded from end to end. The cause of the outbreak had not been ascertained in April, when London was alarmed to hear of it. The disease is not native to South Africa, and it is almost a certainty that it must have been imported into the area where the disease appeared—an area devoted to cattle-raising. To explore all possible sources of contagion, strict search should be made into the antecedents of packing material from Europe, the most likely cause of the disease. Southern Rhodesia has never before been visited with this disease. On the high seas now is a shipload of 400 head of Rhodesian cattle. There have been thirteen such importations made during late years, beginning with 331 head in 1924, followed by later consignments of 409, 235, 180, 198, 618, 167, 170, and smaller numbers. Hope to Build Up Trade. During the past five years many thousands of pounds have been spent upon the purchase of first-class pedigree bulls for use in the beef cattle herds in Southern Rhodesia. The London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Company commenced ranching operations in Rhodesia some years ago, and their herds have been carefully built up. This company now runs 35,000 head of cattle on four estates, the acreage of which is 800,000, and upwards of 1000 miles of wire fencing has been erected. Concentration has been made upon beef types, first quality Hereford and Sussex bulls having been secured from England for use upon the locally-bred cows. Ten years hence it was hoped that. Rhodesia would have built up a substantial live fat cattle trade with England. These cattle, of course, have to be slaughtered with Lt ten days of landing at a British port. Recently there lauded at Wallasey (Cheshire) a consignment of 170 cattle from the London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Co., Ltd., and they were mostly of the Hereford type. All the steers were dehorned in their calf days and landed in perfect condition. They sold at pretty good prices. Fitted for the Pastoral Industry. The greater part of Southern Rhodesia is well fitted for the pastoral industry, the chief exports being slaughter cattle, hides and skins, and butter, shipped mainly to neighbouring African territories. The numbers of both European and native cattle have approximately trebled since 1914. European cattle form rather less than two-fifths of the total, and over two-fifths of the European cattle consist of cows. The dairy industry is of increasing importance. The quantity of milk sold by farmers to creameries or otherwise has increased five-fold since 1914. The commercial production of butter (factory and farm) has mure than doubled since 1922, and cheese has also made progress. Rhodesian butter has been shipped to the British market since 1929. Some 400 cattle from Southern Rhodesia are on their way to England. We enquired on Wednesday at the Ministry of Agriculture as to the fate of these cattle, and received aji intimation that the Minister did not up to then know what will happen to them. “We are thinking furiously,” said an official. The length of the voyage to England is sufficient to give the disease time to show’ itself if the cattle on the high seas have been in any contact with it. The officials of Southern Rhodesia declare that the reported outbreak of the disease, of which they had received no intimation as yet, is in an area far removed from the source of origin of the cattle now upon the high seas.