250 



lished. He would be prepared to recommend quarantine for 4 

 months in all cases as he did not think that very much value would 

 be attached to certificates from the breeder or previous owner. If the 

 animal was suffering in any way, quarantine might be prolonged 

 with the right of appeal by the owner for consultation with a duly 

 qualified veterinary surgeon. The question of compensation was a 

 difiicult one, but the witness thought that none need be given 

 to the owners of home-bred animals having the disease in unmis- 

 takeable form. With reference to inspection at the border, Mr. 

 Kendall said that it ought to be strict, as many tuberculous cattle 

 came from N. S. W. and Queensland. He was not acquainted with 

 the present system, and if all the colonies could agree on some 

 uniform legislation, inspection would not be necessary." 



It will be noticed that Mr. Kendall attributes the prevalence of 

 the disease to hereditary transmision as one of the chief causes. In 

 Tasmania where there is so much in breeding, it is quite possible 

 that constitutional diseases may be handed down from one herd 

 to another until in a country of limited area like this island, we find 

 after the lapse of years that the whole of the stock is more or less 

 affected. Hence, the recommendation which all who are conversant 

 with the subject make, is the introduction of fresh stock of hardier 

 breed such as the Polled Angus into Tasmania from time to time, 

 and this is all the more necessary when we come to consider that 

 it is only at intervals during the last 25 years that fresh stock has 

 been imported and then only in very small numbers. 



2. Considering the prevalence of scrofulous and tuberculous 

 diseases in dairy cows, it is desirable that all dairies should be 

 regularly inspected, for we know also that no food affords such 

 pabulum for the germs of typhoid and scarlet fever as milk. 



3. In remote districts weakly cattle may continue to exist for a 

 long period without interference. The prevalence of disease in 

 such districts could be certified by a constable who could send for a 

 qualified veterinary surgeon to inspect the herd. 



4. It is undesirable that weakly or suspected animals should 

 continue to breed or be at large amongst breeding stock. Hence 

 the recommendation of Mr. Kendall's is a good one, viz. that they 

 should be killed ofi". Further, the inspection of stud bulls has 

 never been attempted in Tasmania, though every one will allow 

 the necessity of it. A license is objectionable for an owner might 

 be willing to pay a license for an unhealthy, though well-bred 

 animal. 



5th. Quarantine is of too short a duration to determine the 

 existence of tuberculosis and scrofulous diseases. As it might 

 take a year or more to develop such — and as other diseases, such as 

 foot and mouth, and pleuro pneumonia make their appear ^t nee at 

 most under three months, and the former much earlier, no good can 

 be gained by prolonging quarantine over three months. Animals 

 in quarantine who are manifestly labouring under some constitutional 

 disease should be slaughtered at once. 



5th. In all large cattle markets beasts are inspected by a com- 

 petent veterina,ry surgeon. This is the case at Glasgow, and also 

 at Deptford, where often at both places 2,000 cattle are put up 

 for sale in one day. At these places cattle are inspected beast 



