NEW HERD DISEASE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 183, 5 July 1937, Page 8

NEW HERD DISEASE

WAIKATO OUTBREAK. NOT APPARENT IN MANAWATU. An outbreak of trichomoniasis, a contagious disease affecting dairy cows and bulks, has occurred in the Waikato, and two herds are reported to have been affected, one near l’aeroa and the other near Hamilton, and a case of infection in a single cow has been noted at Gisborne. Twenty cows were affected in the Paeroa herd, and Several of the animals had to be destroyed. Referring to the diseaso, Mr T. A. Blake, Government veterinary surgeon at Hamilton, said that it was first noticed in Italy by Mazzanti in 1900. It occurred in most Continental countries, in Japan and in the United States. There was an outbreak inEngland in 1933, when seven farms in three counties were affected. Mr Bloke said now the disease had been found in Now Zealand, lie leared that it might soon become widespread. Tho economic aspect was fairly serious, one owner in England losing £2OOO through its incidence, and German investigators had attributed most of the sterility occurring among many herds in Germany to the disease. “Every effort should be made to stop the spread of the disease before it becomes general throughout the herds of New Zealand.” said Mr Blake.

Fortunately the disease is not so far apparent in tho Manawatil district, according to Mr E. G. Elphick, Government veternarian, who was interviewed on the subject by a “Standard” reporter to-day. Ho agreed, of course, that there was need for every care being taken, but he did not wholly endorse the statement that “it was feared that the disease might become widespread.” The serious aspect of the disease, added Mr Elphick, was that it promoted sterility and its real effect could not be properly ascertained until the opening of next season.