TICK IN THE NORTH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 8

TICK IN THE NORTH

■■ .": — I NOT THE QUEENSLAND KIND. I The question of the tick in the north was the subject of an address by Dr. C. J. Eeakes, Director of the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture, at tho Auckland Farmers' Union Conference. Dr. Eeakes said that tho ticks in the north were not of the same variety as in Queensland. The tick itself could not cause tick fever. It was a germ in the blood that caused it, and ticks acted as.carriers of this germ from animal to animal. Tho'-tick fever, however, was not in New Zealand, ai\d every precaution was being taken to keep it out. _ In this way cattlo were being prohibited from coming into the Dominion from Queensland, U.S.A., and South Africa. Careful investigation had been made by the Department in respect to the nature of the tick. They had been placed on liealthy cattle, with no result. 'Inquiry had failed to show any sickness or trouble caused so far by New Zealand ticks. Tho ill-effects of ticks quite apart from any specific disease, included loss of condition in tho cattle if badly Infested, decrease in milk yield of cows, and damage to hides. A badly infested hide would depreciate in value from Jd. to 2Jd. per lb. He suggested that farmers should be given special advice on the methods of coping with ticks, and that an officer of his Department should bo stationed at Kaitaia. A good plan would be, he Baid, for farmers to establish dips at centres in the worst-infected areas for dealing with cattle which were not quiet enough for spraying. He further advocated the inspection at points of embarkation and disembarkation of sea-borne cattle, and at Whangarei railhead and Helensville. all cattle coming south, and tho compulsory inspection at HestSeld of all cattlo passing south, and dipping of all found ticky. Several speakers referred to tho filtiiv condition or cattle trucks, and suggested that they should be cleansed from tiino to time. After further discussion, two remits were carried providing for'the executive to take all the necessary precautions to bo taken to prevent the spreading of cattle tick.