BLACKLEG.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1917, Page 2

BLACKLEG.

VACCINATION IST TABAtTAKI. i (Prom Our Parliamentary Reporter). Wellington, Yesterday. There is a reference to blackleg in th§ annual report of the Minister for Agriculture. In the Taranaki District (says the Minister) 00,440 calves were vaccinated during the past year as a preventive measure against this disease, the work having been successfully carried owl by the Inspectors of Stock in the different districts; 133 calves were reported as Slaving died of the disease during the same period. In the Auckland district 51.828 calves were vaccinated and 293 deaths were reported, making a combined total of 1i12,208 successfully vaccinated and 426 deaths before and after vaccination. There are no special suggestions to offer regarding the position in Taranaki, the disease there being well in hand, whilst the quarantine boundaries ; and the system of vaccination are work--1 ing satisfactorily. In the Auckland disj trict the position is somewhat different, j and calls for comment. The dairy industry in this province has so greatly adI vanced during the past few years' as I to considerably increase the number of calves reared, and with the advent of moro susceptible animals the disease, having favorablo opportunities for threading, has made its appearance in unexpected places. The declaration of infected areas could only be tentative 1 until information, was forthcoming indicating with some degree of finality the ' extent of ground likely to be infected, whilst meantime the inspectors were <loi[;>- their very best to meet the requirements of the case. The position has now assumed a definite aspeciSr«nd blackleg must be recognised as established firmly in the province.. Additional steps must be taken to prevent its I'urtlk:' spreading, and recommendations are under consideration.