ANIMAL RESEARCH DIVISION

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20741, 27 February 1939, Page 6

ANIMAL RESEARCH DIVISION

Strengthening of the campaign to improve animal health and production announced by the Hon. W. Lee Martin at Ruakura will be heartily approved by the farming community. The creation of a new division of the Department of Agriculture and the allocation of more scientists to the work of disease prevention and production promotion should give added drive to the campaign and meet a need which the farmers, particularly of tlie Waikato area, have been emphasising for some time.

Scientific research as an aid to the farmer has proved its worth on many occasions. More intensive farming, the forcing of pastures with various kinds of fertilisers and the greater demands made particularly upon dairy herds for greater production have created new problems for the scientist to solve. In view of the importance of sustained and improved production to the financial welfare of the country it is good business to aid the farmers with every scientific device available. Scientific research may be costly, but that cost is insignificant when compared with the toll that may be taken by a single epidemic among livestock.

Ruakura, where much good work has been and is being done, is to assume even greater importance to the farmers as an animal research station with an augmented staff. Visitors to the farm the other day were greatly impressed with the work of the scientists, and incidentally were fully appreciative of the difficulty of discovering the definite cause of the disorder known as “facial eczema.” If that problem alone can be solved it will justify the expenditure of a large sum of money. There will be unending -\\ork for the new division, which with the co-operation of the farmers may make important advances in the science of animal husbandry.