STOCK DISEASE REMEDIES

Shannon News, 25 November 1927, Page 2

STOCK DISEASE REMEDIES

FARMERS NOT SATISFIED WITH DEPARTMENT’S ACTION. The Dairy Farmers'’ Union recently wrote the Minister of Agriculture suggesting that all reputed cures for diseases in live stock should be (given an exhaustive test by Departmental officers before being put on the market and further, that in the event of such remedies proving ineffective, their distribution should be. prohibited by law.

In reply the Minister advised that while he was in sympathy with the suggestion, he was also of the opinion that it couldn’t be given effect to. If tests were carried out some success would, no doubt, be obtained in most cases and however small the measure of success attained the Government could not condemn or prohibit, its sale without being involved in endless disputes. In purchasing} not only this commodity but all others not actually noxious, the -individual should at all times be, free to use his own discretion, otherwise there would, he feared, be grave cause for complaint. Should the members of the Union wish to consult with officers of the Department, their advice would be freelv available.

Mr. J. Boyce considered the Minister's reply unsatisfactory and another instance of “sitting on a rail." Mr. P. J. Small spoke in similar strain and considered the Department should make a titanic effort to eradicate the diseases Of live stock that were undermining the dairying industry. The mortality in dairy herds was tremendous, and the loss to the Dominion must run into exceedingly large figures. The Government was only fplaying with the matter and should wake up to the seriousness of the position. Mr. W. H. Gimblett, on the other hand, spoke of the carelessness in handling stock and the general lack of animal hygiene, that was apparent among the producers. , The dairymen themselves .might increase their knowledge in that direction. Mr. Boyce added that he didn’t want the Government to. cure the diseases so much as to give the farmers some idea of the value of the many proprietary cures that were on the, market. What was the use of herd-testing if a cow was to succumb in the , end to mammitis? Mr. Small wanted to know if the Department was in touch with what was being done to eradicate stock diseases in other countries and suggested writting to the Minister for an answer to his query. Mr. Boyce seconded and the suggestion was adbpted.