asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will permit the importation for experimental breeding purposes of the Chianina breed of cattle.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Chianina Cattle Importation.
43.
I do not propose to permit the import of Chianina cattle for the present.
Could the Minister say why he does not propose to permit the import of Chianina cattle and if he is aware that this breed has considerable advantages in that it produces large quantities of lean meat and does not have the calving difficulties that are associated with, say, the Charollais?
I agree with what the Deputy says about the large size and great conversion rate of the Chianina breed but I am sure the Deputy will also be aware that in recent times we have put a large number of foreign breeds of cattle through our limited quarantine accommodation. An assessment of the Chianina breed has, in fact, been carried out by officers of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries fairly recently and at this stage it is not possible to say when, or if ever, importation of Chianina cattle would be contemplated.
Have the results of this assessment been communicated to the AI stations because I think the Minister may not be aware that a number of AI stations—at least one to my knowledge—are anxious to obtain Chianina bulls?
The assessment that has been done was purely for internal departmental purposes, I think, and before any decision to import Chianina cattle would be made a great deal more consideration would have to be given to the qualities of the animal and the advantages that might be available from its importation. For instance, the question of its uses for cross-breeding would have to be examined and its suitability for the type of cattle husbandry we have here. As the Deputy knows, it is a pretty voracious eater and in our cattle husbandry conditions Chianina cattle would possibly not be the best type.
Would the Minister not agree that the best way to confirm this or otherwise is, as the question suggests, to import for experimental purposes and that these internal reports, to which he refers are not based on performance in Irish conditions? The question merely asks for importation for experimental purposes.
The Deputy must realise that in order to get a real assessment of the qualities of this particular breed, as in the case of any other breed, you really need a fairly extensive field trial and in order to get that you must be a couple of generations away from the original importation. For the moment the practical difficulties are almost insurmountable. The importation of Austrian and various French breeds and some English breeds also has taxed the capacity of the quarantine facilities and I think that will continue to be the case for some time.
Can the Minister not consider extending them?
Possibly.