JAVA WANTS STOCK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1358, 8 February 1912, Page 8

JAVA WANTS STOCK.

])R. DE BLIKCK'S MISSION. Dr. C. do niieclc, director of tho veterinary laboratory and veterinary school at Bultenzorg, Java, who was rant to Australia by the Dutch Uuveriinient to find out what the various State Cioveruiiienls wero doing in the way of stamping nut cattle diseases, and to inspect some cattlo and sheep which it is desirous to introduce into Java, had something to say on these matters prior to his departure for Alolbourne from Sydney last Friday. "As you know," he said to an interviewer," "we have stamped out pneumonia in Java, and closed our ports against Australian cattle, except for slaughtering purposes. Our ports are still closed, a.s we did not know enough of your veterinary service. As the Government was desirous of importing some cattle, I was instructed to go to Australia, and thoroughly investigate the methods adopted by your Governments to stamp out pneumonia and other diseases, especially tuberculosis, from which our cattle are practically free. As far as my mission has gone, 1 am very pleased with my visit, but my impressions as a whole must remain in abeyance until my mission is ended. I have spent both a pleasant and instructive fortnight in this State, and after my visit to the University, where I met Professor J. D. Stewart, of the Veterinary College, who explained many things to me, I was much impressed with the good work already done here in veterinary science. What is, however, required are more veterinary schools, scattered over the principal stock-breeding "laces throughout the State. I found the cattle, in fact all the stock I have seen, very healthy. "I inspected a number of the Messrs. Reyr.olds's Hereford", on the Paterson l'iver. They are very fine. I also saw others of the same breed in Queensland, olid hopo to see more on my trip down south. The Government is desirous ot introducing licrefords to cross with (ho native breed, the Zebu. For this purpose I consider tho Hereford better than the Shorthorn. AVe have already crossed the Zebu with the Ayrshire for dairying purposes, but find that the second cross is deficient in milk yield, and to keep the latter up we have to import more Ayrshires from time to time. There is no reason why these should not come from Australia.' We want plenty of milk, with a butter-fat test of between 3.5 and 4 pelcent., as we do not use much butter or cheese. AVe tried the Jersey with the Zebu, but found it too delicate. "Another purpose of my mifsinn is tn inspect the Romney Marsh sheep. I have seen some lovs, but will see more. This breed, we were told, would lie very suitable for our hilly country, which is wet in many places. AVe tried merinos some years ago, but they all died. Should these sheep prove a success, we may possibly try another of the British breeds.