M.— AGRICULTURE. 



227 



strange anoiualy that our pure-bred stock are exported to all parts of 

 the Empire and to foreign countries for the improvement of the native 

 stock, while at home our own cross-bred stock are in comparison so inferior 

 to the pure-bred stock. 



In Canada, United States, Australia and South Africa the elimination 

 of the scrub bull has received attention, and these countries in recent 

 years have instituted with considerable success campaigns against the 

 use of inferior sires. Western Australia introduced legislation which came 

 into operation in 1924 to enable their agricultural department to get rid 

 of scrub bulls. 



Bull Licensing Act and its Administration. 



The main features of the Live Stock Breeding Act of 1922, which came 

 into operation throughout Northern Ireland in January 1924, are : — 



1. The licensing of bulls of the prescribed age, and the prohibition, 

 enforced by penalties, of the use of unlicensed bulls. 



2. The granting, as a temporary measure, of permits to owners who 

 feed bulls for beef. 



3. A fee of 5s. is charged for a licence for each animal, and the licence 

 remains in force during the lifetime of the animal unless revoked or sus- 

 pended by the Ministry. 



4. All bulls passed as up to licensing standard are tattooed on the ear 

 with a letter and a number. 



5. An owner can appeal against the decision to reject a bull for a 

 licence. When such an appeal is lodged the animal is inspected by an 

 appeal judge who is a breeder of cattle, and not an official of the Ministry. 

 To prevent frivolous appeals a fee of £2 2s. must be lodged. This fee is 

 returned to the owner if the appeal is successful. 



6. Inspections are held twice each year — in February and September. 

 Appeals. — Since the Act came into operation there have been eighty 



appeals against the decision to reject bulls for licences. In these cases 

 the bulls were re-examined as provided in the Act, with the result that 



twenty-five of the bulls were 



Rejections. — The percentage of bulls rejected for licences at each 



into force was as follows : — 



icensed and fifty-five finally rejected. 



inspection since the Act came 



September 1923 



February 1924 

 September 1924 



February 1925 

 September 1925 



February 1926 

 September 1926 



February 1927 

 September 1927 



The point of interest in this table is that in the last year the rejections 

 were less, although the standard for selection was raised. This is due 

 entirely to better-class bulls having been produced. 



q2 



5-7 per cent. 



• 15-4| ,-„ , 

 22. K = 1 ' ^2 per cent. 



• 23-0! o„ 



20.A I = 23 per cent. 



20-6 ~^^'^ V^^ cent. 

 17-6 1 ~^^'^ T?^^ cent. 



