The Department of Agriculture during the War. 185 



aineuded to allow of tlie atliiiis.sioii of cattle into the Union without 

 being tested for tuberculosis after arrival, provided they had been 

 tested at a Government station in the country of origin, immediately 

 before shipment, in a manner approved by the Minister. Othei 

 scheduled contagious diseases were not much in evidence, nor were 

 horse-sickness, blue-tongue, and other non-scheduled epizootic diseases 

 as prevalent as usual. 



Altliough labouring under great difficulties in 1916-17 owing to 

 continued shortage of staff, due principally to the war, no serious 

 extensions of contagious diseases occurred, and on the contrary good 

 prog-ress was made, the outlook being encouraging. This is a matter 

 for congratulation in view of the grave risks attending the movements 

 of live stock for military purposes without the means of sufficient 

 veterinary supervision. 



During the year an additional duty was placed on the division 

 through being made responsible for the inspection of meat prior to 

 export, which was stimulated by the war and commenced earlier than 

 was contemplated. East Coast fever continued to give cause for alarm, 

 and in the Transvaal and Natal there were extensions of the disease 

 in certain centres, but the erection of dipping tanks and fencing was 

 having beneficial results, and though no great improvement in the 

 disease was disclosed by statistics, the position was considered to be 

 better and more hopeful than it had yet been. With the exception of 

 East Coast fever, anthrax was responsible this year for greater 

 mortality among'st live stock than the whole of the other contagious 

 diseases combined. It increased rapidly, particularly in the Trans- 

 vaal. Owing to staff shortage little could be done in regard to tuber- 

 culosis in cattle. There was considerable discussion in regard to the 

 question of the amount of compensation (one-quarter of the value) 

 paid for animals slaughtered on account of tuberculosis, which it was 

 held should ])e increased to three-quarters of the value. The testing 

 of cattle prior to shipment could not be carried into effect owing to 

 the war, so imported cattle were continued to be tested at the ports. 

 Of 455 cattle tested 3.5 per cent, reacted and were destroyed. In 

 order to facilitate trade, arrangements were made for the admission 

 into the Union of slaughter cattle from Rhodesia and Swaziland in 

 the same way as from the Bechuanaland Protectorate, and altogether 

 43,689 slaug-hter cattle were brought into the Union during the year. 



The year 1917-18 witnessed a continuance of the shortage of staff 

 and the attendant danger of the spread of animal disease, but 

 fortunately nothing untoward occurred. During the year. 1380 out- 

 breaks of disease were dealt with, 1127 animals from oversea were 

 examined at the ports, and the introduction of 51.000 head of cattle 

 from adjoining territories was supervised. East Coast fever continued 

 to engage the major portion of attention. In the Transvaal the 

 disease continued in several districts, and though its virulence had 

 abated in Natal, fresh outbreaks constantly appeared. The regrettable 

 continuance of the disease was attributed in a large measure to lack of 

 thorough dipping, a result to some extent of the cost of dipping- 

 materials. The policy regarding tuberculosis continued in force, and 

 although a Bill was introduced in Parliament increasing the amount 

 of compensation payable, congestion of w^ork in Parliament caused 

 the matter to lapse. The testing of cattle for tuberculosis before ship- 

 ment to the Union was still not possible owing to the war. Anthrax 



