INSPECTION OF STALLIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1756, 22 May 1913, Page 8

INSPECTION OF STALLIONS.

HEREDITARY UNSOUNDNESS. During tho course of an address at tho Provincial Conference of the Canterbury Farmers' Union, Jlr. C. J. Eeakos, Chief of the Government Live Stock Division, remarked that 'die existence of various forms of unsoundness in draught breedins stock constituted a matter that was receiving tho very serious attention/of all interested in tho breeding of draught horses throughout the English-speaking; world. At th© present time draughthorse breeding was a valuable industry in New Zealand, there not.only being a good local market, but alsh a good market availablo in Australia. Hence the necessity of ensuring that tho New Zealand stock was sound, .and enabling them to maintain tho reputation now possessed. It was satisfactory, to note that the bulk of Now Zealand breeders recognised that the question of dealing with hereditary disease was an- important one, and each vear an increasing Minibsr of A. cind P. Associations make' soundness a condition of prifco-vinning. This was a step in the right direction, but it did not, nor con d it, provide the required eifectivo remedy a"am«t the dissemination of unsoundness by stallions travelling the country. The speaker referred ' to the Australian methods of voluntary examination for unsoundness, but this, though it enabled tho public to know what animals were passed as being sound, did not prevent 'tho unround ono from being used by the general horse-breeding public.. No scheme could be eifectivo. unless it did do this, anil it was interesting to note that, at an important conference in Australia, it had been resolved:—"That early legislation should be enacted to provide that uncertificated horses should not be allowed to travel or stand for public stud purposes. This decision was worthy of careful now in New Zealand, where tho question ot dealing with tho matter by legal enactment has been very fully discussed for tue past three years at least When tlra States that provide New Zealand s niatket talked about compulsion, it was time New Zealand did something definite. IJio only logical way, in his opinion, was >} a system of licensing, no stallion to bo allowed to bo reed except it bo licensed, ami no stallion to be licensed unless certified sound. A Bill had aH-cady bsfta drafted, the prorisions of which tliej Already had seen, and which had been endorsed by Various representative gatherings of pastoralists. It was not intended tha ; t tho Bill should bo retrospective in its action, its conditions only, apply to the vising generation, ns if universal much hardship would be inflicted. Provision was also made that any stallion purchased in Great Britain and properly certified 'there would not be subjected to fuither examination on arrival, ilr. Brakes then referred in detail to tho proposed schcdulo of diseases, and said he felt that no compulsory legislation should be passed that Included diseases other than those universally recognised as being liable to hereditary transmission. In answer to questions, Mr. Keal.os said that tho Bill excluded thoroughbreds. because when they were included tho Bill never seemed to get any further. The draught horse trade was of great valuo to .Now Zealand, whereas tho thoroughbred was not so valuable, being used more for sporting purposes In his opinion string-halt was not painful to tho animal. It was usually fairly easy to distinguish string-halt irom, tho condition known as "nerved ; in either case the horse would be thrown out. The conference endorsed and appiov.d of the idea of tho Bill brought forward by Mr. Keakfs.