asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (1) what steps have been taken to ascertain the incidence of (a) contagious abortion; (b) sterility amongst the breeding cattle of the country; (c) mammitis amongst cows in the Saorstát, and if steps have been taken, what are the actual figures of losses; (2) what steps have been taken to prevent losses from these diseases and what are the positive results; (3) whether the clause in the Live Stock Breeding Act which prohibits the showing for sale or otherwise in any public place of an animal which has aborted within the preceding two months has been enforced, and if not, whether he will state the reason, and if so, if he will state how many prosecutions have taken place.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Diseases in Cattle.
(1) In connection with this question it must be borne in mind that the Epizootic Abortion Order, 1925, is worked by the local authorities, and not by the Department. With regard to (a) and (b) no special steps have been taken to ascertain the incidence of contagious abortion and sterility amongst breeding cattle, and no actual figures are available as to possible losses on this account. From communications received from stockowners and veterinary practitioners it is established that these diseases, which are world-wide in their scope, are fairly widespread in this country. It would not be possible, however, from the data supplied to give even approximate figures in this respect. With regard to (c) no special steps of this nature have been taken, but it is a matter of common knowledge that the disease of mammitis is also comparatively widespread in this and other countries.
(2) The steps advised by the Department towards preventing losses through these diseases are set out in a special leaflet (No. 13) issued by the Department, which has been widely distributed. In addition, the Department's Veterinary Research Laboratory is available, so that veterinary practitioners may be afforded advice as to the diseases, whilst preventive vaccine for carrying out blood tests for diagnosis purposes is supplied from the Laboratory. The results of vaccination against abortion show that the incidence of the disease is reduced to about seven per cent. following upon vaccination. The information afforded on the results of blood tests has often proved of great use to stock owners, as it has enabled them definitely to ascertain the infected animals in a herd, and to isolate these animals accordingly. The diagnosis and treatment of sterility require the services of a veterinary surgeon to examine each animal and to treat any abnormality found.
(3) In regard to the third part of the question, the Deputy is under a misapprehension. There is no clause in the Live Stock Breeding Act prohibiting the exposure in a public place of an animal which has aborted within the preceding two months. The prohibition in this respect is contained in the Department's Epizootic Abortion Order of 1925, issued under the Diseases of Animals Acts, which, as I have said, is enforced by the different local authorities in the country. The Department have no information as to prosecutions for offences against the Order.
Do I understand the Minister to say that the Department has no control about putting this particular clause into force about the showing of live animals?
Mr. Hogan
It is in force and is administered by the local authorities.
Is it compulsory that it be administered by the local authorities?
Mr. Hogan
I would want notice of that question, but I think so.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether mammitis is considered by his Department to be a hereditary disease, and if not why cows which have developed deformed udders from this disease are rejected by his inspectors for this reason alone, when presented for inspection with a view to having them registered as dairy cows.
Mr. Hogan
The Department do not regard mammitis as a hereditary disease. As, however, deformed udders are by no means invariably due to mammitis, and as the inspectors would find it impossible to determine the cause of deformities of the under in cows presented for registration, the Department consider it necessary, in the interest of the Dairy Cattle Improvement Schemes to refuse to register any cow having a deformed udder.
Is it that because the inspectors find it impossible to say whether the deformed udder is due to mammitis or not they reject?
Mr. Hogan
Yes, and anybody else would find it impossible to say so also. It is very difficult to see the difference between a lesion arising from mammitis or from T.B. In any case mammitis may develop into T.B.
Practically anything might develop into T.B.
Mr. Hogan
I do not think so, housemaid's knee, for instance.
Supposing the owner of a cow was in a position to put in a certificate from a veterinary surgeon to say it was due to mammitis, would an inspector accept that?
Mr. Hogan
I do not know exactly what the attitude of the Department is on that question. I would like notice before I could give an answer, but I would be inclined personally to say at the first blush that they ought not, in view of the probability that disease of the tissues of the udder in most cases if it is not quickly cured will develop into a tubercular udder. The English veterinary service is in exactly the same position and that is why we have all the trouble about udders. The English veterinary surgeons do not undertake to say whether the induration is or is not tubercular. In practice they refuse to accept any cow which has an indurated udder for the register of dairy cattle which must be kept.