BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 April 1943, Page 2

BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS

TESTING OF COWS SUPPLYING TOWNS. MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL URGES COMPULSION. “The T.B. testing of the usual town supplying herds has been carried out by the Government Veterinarian, but owing to the exceptionally dry season it will be necessary for vendors to obtain some of their milk from farms temporarily licensed by the Department of Agriculture. The T.B. testing has been on a purely voluntary basis, and the veterinarian has no power to compel the temporary licensee to step into line and have his herd tested. All he has power to do is to clinically examine the herd and test any cows which are obviously not up to the mark. T.B. has to be well advanced before it can be detected without the test. In view of the recent happenings in Palmerston North and what has come under my notice from time to time in this district, I recommend that some action be taken by the council,” stated the Borough Sanitary Inspector, Mr T. A. Russell, in his annual report, which came before the Masterton Borough Council last night. The council passed a remit to the Municipal Association of New Zealand as follows: —“That the Government be requested to enact legislation making compulsory the annual T.B. testing of all cows producing milk for city and borough, consumption, and that all T.B. reactors be destroyed.”