II April, 1910.] GoccrHmcut C crtificatioii of Siallioiis. 233 



GOVERNMEiTr CERTIFICATIOX OF STALLIOXS. 



THIRD AXXUAL REPORT (SEASON 1909). 



On the Veterinary Examination of Stallions for the Government 

 Certificate of Soundness and Approval. 



With a resume of particulars covering the three years' working of the scheme, 



1907-8-9. 



S. S. Cameron, D.V.Sc., M.R.C.V.S., Chief Veterinary Offieer. 



In 1907. the then Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. Geo. Swinburne, 

 M.L.A.) approved of the establishment of a svstem of Government control 

 in respect of stallions standing for public service, directed primarily to- 

 wards insuring the soundness from an hereditary stand-point of all stallions 

 in the State, and also that such stallions should conform to a rea.sonable 

 standard of excellence as regards breed, type and conformation. The 

 svstem has now been carried out through three seasons, and it is proposed 

 to review its operation and administration during that period. 



It mav be said at once that, in this re\-iew of the work of the past 

 three years, it will not be claimed that a definite and measurable improve- 

 ment has already been attained. It will be some vears more before the 

 real tenefit of this three vears' work will iTe appreciable. It is true that 

 about one-fourth of the stallions examined have been refused the Govern- 

 ment Certificate, but it will not be pos.sible to estimate the improvement 

 that can be effected until power is given by legislative enactment to prevent 

 or limit the use of rejected stallions. What may be claimed, however, is 

 that in the three years, examinations have shown : — 



{a) That unsoundness of an hereditary character exists to a considerable 

 extent in the stallions standing for public ser\-ice. (The figures 

 in the Table of Totals herein show 15.83 \y^x cent, of rejects 

 for hereditary unsoundness.) 

 {h) That there is a considerable proportion of sires at present in use 

 unfit for the purpose by virtue of their mongrel characteristics. 

 These two features having been demonstrated, there need be no hesita- 

 tion in affirming the necessity of completing the scheme by legislative enact- 

 ment. 



During the first season (1907) the scheme was on a voluntary basis. 

 It provided for the purely voluntary submission of stallions for examina- 

 tion. The Agricultural Societies throughout the State were reque.sted by 

 circular to organise parades at local centres at which the veterinarv officers 

 of the Department would attend for the examination of horses brought 

 forward bv owners. Fifty-six societies in different parts of the State 

 responded to the invitation, and 78 parades and shows were attended 

 by the examining officers. A total of 918 horses were submitted for examina- 

 tion, representing about 50 per cent, of the stallions standing for public 

 service in the State. Of these, 215 (23.42 per cent.) were rejected and 703 

 -certificated. That such a large number of horses should have been volun- 

 tarilv submitted in the face of the rejections that were continuallv being 



