Vol. 235 No. 8
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (a) the date on which the warble fly eradication scheme started, (b) (i) the total number of cattle covered each year and (ii) the overall total for the life of the scheme, (c) the total cost of the scheme, (d) the date on which the scheme ceased and (e) if he received a recommendation that the scheme should be suspended from any body outside his Department.
13.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of cattle treated for warbles by his Department this year; the number of complaints received; and if he is satisfied that the cattle industry will not suffer without the reintroduction of the scheme.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
The warble fly eradication campaign was started on a pilot basis in September, 1963, but a formal scheme was not commenced until 1st September, 1965. The approximate numbers of cattle dressed each year were:
|
1963 |
— |
500,000 |
|
1964 |
— |
2,100,000 |
|
1965 |
— |
4,400,000 |
|
1966 |
— |
5,000,000. |
The approximate overall total number of cattle dressed in the two years in which a formal scheme was operated was 9,400,000. During this period, the amount paid by herd owners for dressing was approximately £1½ million, of which approximately £50,000 was allocated to a Compensation Fund.
The incidence of warble fly infestation was reduced to so low a figure, namely 2.4 per cent by the year 1966, that the continuance after that year of compulsory dressing of all cattle and of the consequent charge on farmers, was no longer justified. Instead, with the approval of the National Agricultural Council arrangements were made for spring and summer dressing by officers of my Department of animals visibly infested. This dressing is done free of charge where the owners of the cattle inform my Department of the existence of infestation.
Up to the end of May approximately 113,000 cattle were treated for warbles by my Department in the current season.
I am not clear as to what the Deputy means by "the number of complaints received" but, if he means complaints that the treatment had an adverse effect on animals, my Department has received such complaints about 34 animals, that is, 0.03 per cent of the number treated.
I am satisfied that, with the necessary co-operation of herd owners in the measures at present in operation to eliminate sources of re-infestation, the cattle industry will have little cause to worry about warbles in the future.
