H.—29.

LIVE-STOCK DIVISION. REPOKT OF W. C. BARRY, M.R.C.V.S., DIRECTOR. Health of Live-stock. horses. The general health of horses continues good. .An increasing demand has been evident-for good draught horses of the right type. This has resulted in a distinct impetus being given to the breeding of draught horses, which should prove to be quite a remunerative proposition to those farmers engaging in it. During the year the export of draught horses to Australia also increased, satisfactory prices being realized. Taken all round, the outlook for the breeder of good draught horses is most encouraging. On the other hand, the breeding of light horses, hacks, and those suitable for remount purposes is at a low ebb, and a scarcity of such horses is evident. CATTLE. Tuberculosis. —The total number of cattle condemned in the field as a result of clinical examination and the application of the tuberculin test amounted to 4,617. The total number of cattle examined at the various abattoirs and me.at-export slaughterhouses was 408,999, an increase of 71,698 over last year's figures. Of these, 25,255, or 6-17 per cent., were found to be affected with tuberculosis in varying "degrees, a large percentage being only slightly affected. Actinomycosis. —The number of animals condemned and for which compensation was paid totalled 636, an increase of 101 over last year's figures. Advanced cases of this disease affecting bony tissues are not amenable to treatment. On the other hand, a large number of cattle affected with that type of the disease which responds to treatment were successfully dealt with. The introduction of an agglutination (blood) test for diagnostic purposes is proving useful in indicating those cases which are likely to respond to treatment. The test which is carried out at the Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory is being increasingly availed of by field officers. Malignant Growths. —The number of animals condemned and for which compensation was paid was 330, an increase of 49 over last year's figures. Blackleg. —An increase in the incidence of this disease is recorded in the Auckland Province, a larger number of outbreaks occurring in the North Auckland District. It is difficult to assign a definite reason for the varying incidence of this disease in different years, but no doubt seasonal conditions exert an influence on the susceptibility or otherwise of calves. The number of cases recorded during the year in Taranaki has not been above the average. The total number of calves vaccinated in the blackleg areas during the year was 32,186. The use of the formalinized vaccine prepared at Wallaceville continues to give satisfactory results. Johne's Disease. —During the year nineteen cattle were condemned under the Stock Act for this disease. Its presence was first discovered in Taranaki a few years ago, but cases have recently been located in the Waikato. It is of the nature of a chronic bacterial enteritis, the outstanding symptoms of which are chronic scouring with progressive emaciation. In other countries the disease is responsible for considerable economic loss, and its presence in New Zealand must be viewed with a certain amount of anxiety. Energetic measures have, however, been taken by the Department to locate centres of infection and remove affected animals. The use of the diagnostic agent " Johnin " has also been largely availed of in detecting the disease. It is hoped that with the active measures adopted and the co-operation of farmers in reporting suspicious cases the incidence of Johne's disease will be kept at a low level. Cattle-tick. —The season was apparently a favourable one for tick development, reports indicating that cattle-ticks were more numerous than during the last few years. This was particularly marked in the North Auckland District. In this area the enforcement of the Cattle-tick Regulations has been the subject of representation to the Department with a view to modification. During recent years the whole aspect of the cattle-tick question in New Zealand has more or less undergone a change, a realization that the tick is not a dangerous stock parasite having taken the place of the dread at first created by its discovery. To meet the position to-day some alterations to the present regulations are required, and it is the Department's intention to go into this question. In the control of cattle-tick much can be accomplished by individual effort. Farmers in tick-infested areas could largely prevent tick propagation by the burning or destruction of all cover which gives the immature ticks protection during the winter months. This, combined with other protective measures, would materially tend to keep their numbers on any one farm very low. With respect to this point the District Superintendent, Auckland, makes the following remarks : "I am quite sure that ticks can be controlled to a great extent if property-owners will spray their cattle a few times during the worst season of the year, hand pick at other times, and also clean up and if possible burn rubbish in odd parts of the farm." Anthrax. —It is satisfactory to record that with the exception of one case of anthrax, which occurred in October last on a property adjoining that on which anthrax was found during the previous year, no further cases of this disease have arisen.

13