BIRDS AND CATTLE DISEASE.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sis,—In the November issue of the Journal of the Ministry of Agriculture there is a long article by Sir Stewart Stockman attempting to prove that foot-and-mouth disease is conveyed by migratory birds from the Continent to this country. As a practical agriculturist this seems impossible and absurd to me, for the following reason :—Two years ago we had an outbreak in this locality ; the infected animals were slaughtered, and the carcases lay for days before they were cremated. During this time gulls, rooks, jackdaws, starlings and many other wild birds were feeding on the carcases, and when satisfied flying a short distance on to adjoining fields to digest their meal. According to Sir Stewart Stockman's theory, we should have had a continuation of the disease ; this, however, was not the case. A point Sir Stewart never mentions, and what I am anxious for you to inquire about, is this : We import yearly about 1,000,000 head of live poultry from the Continent. So far as I am aware no restrictions arc in force in regard to the disinfecting of these birds, nor the prohibiting of importation from infected areas. If birds can convey the disease, is it not much more likely that domestic fowls will convey it than wild migratory birds ?
Two years ago many practical agriculturists considered that our outbreak began in the Hull district from an importation of Polish geese—the theory being that pigs in the Hull locality contracted the disease from these geese. In pigs the disease is not easily observed, and these pigs conveyed the disease over the country by infecting various markets. Other probable sources of infection are packing materials, imported vegetables, feeding stuffs and travellers.
I think the "Slaughter Policy" of the Ministry is orrect, but it seems hopeless to slaughter if we are to continue to import the disease from the Continent and elsewhere.
The Ministry may have good reasons for being satisfied that we run no risk of infection by importing live poultry from the Continent ; it, however, seems curious that they never refer in any way to this importation.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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