DISEASED CATTLE.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18926, 21 April 1933, Page 10

DISEASED CATTLE.

AT HOMEBUSH SALES. < INQUIRY SOUGHT. (From a .Correspondent), SYDNEY, April 12. A meeting of the Lldcombe Council decided to ask the Minister for Health to hold an investigation into the method of dealing with the diseased cattle sent to the= Flemington sale yards, and to inquire whether they were being retailed to the public. Aid. Wilson, the former mayor, declared between 160 and 200 cattle suffering from cancer, and tuberculosis and lumpy jaw were sent to the abattoirs each week. He alleged that the affected parts of the carcass were removed and the remainder sold to the publio as beef. He produced photographs of cattle suffering from lumpy i jaw. |j The chief veterinary officer of the ! Department of Agriculture (Mr Max Henry) explained that in cases where the diseases are purely local, the affeoted parts were cut away, and the remainder of the carcass was then quite fit for human consumption. He added that in Germany where the meat inspection was more severe than anywhere else in the world, this practice was followed. If the diseases were not localised, the carcasses would be destroyed. The Chief Veterinary Officer of the Retail Board (Mr Thorpe) said the Board would welcome any inquiry. There was no record of a human being ever having contracted lumpy jaw from cattle. In most country districts, he said, there was no „ supervision of the premises, and a butcher could kill and sell any quantity of diseased bullocks if ho wanted to break the law.

The steps to be taken to prevent diseased meat reaching the public were explained by the Chief Veterinary Officer of ttie Meat Board (Mr Thorpe). He said suspected animals would be slaughtered and a further Inspection within 36 hours would be made. .If the disease was localised and not dangerous, the affected part would be removed and the rest of the carcass could be sold, but if the whole •carcass was affected, it would immediately be condemned. Mr Thorpe added the State Abattoirs at Homebush exercised the strictest examination of any abattoirs in the world.