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over last year. The total number affected was 49,807, or 10-52 per cent., this being a small increase over last year. The increase is to be regretted, but when any one acquainted with the conditions takes into consideration the manner in which our pigs are housed and fed it is not surprising that considerable numbers become afiected with this and other diseases. In another part of my report I have emphasized the necessity of providing better food and shelter for our swine, and unless farmers wake up to the necessity for this a still greater number of afiected animals may be looked for. During the winter months the majority of this class of stock suffer so severely for want of proper attention that the resisting-powers are reduced, and they are unable to withstand infection. At the present time the slogan is for greater production along this line, and I can see no reason why this should not be accomplished if the producers in this country will only give a reasonable amount of attention to the feeding and management of these animals. Actinomycosis.—The animals condemned and compensated for for this disease again show a decrease on the previous year's figures, the number condemned being 628, as against 689 the previous year, distributed as follows: Otago-Southland, 72; Canterbury-West Coast, 54; Wellington, 161 ; Auckland, 341. All districts shared in the decrease. Treatment for this disease in the early stages with potassium iodide is being largely availed of, with very satisfactory results. Malignant Growths. —The number of cattle condemned by Inspectors for malignant growths was 480, being an increase of sixty-five over last year's figures. The practice of confirming the clinical diagnosis by subjecting specimens to microscopical examination at the Veterinary Laboratory was again carried out in all cases where it was convenient to take specimens for the purpose. Genital Diseases. —(a) Contagious abortion : This disease, although seen in almost every dairying district throughout the Dominion, does not cause the extensive damage it did a number of years ago. Although a few herds may suffer severely, it seldom assumes the epidemic form as seen in previous years. This is, no doubt, due to a certain amount of immunity being acquired. Advice with reference to the prevention of this disease has been freely given by the various officers, and large numbers of blood-samples have been collected and forwarded to the Laboratory at Wallaceville for identification purposes, farmers availing themselves freely of the opportunity offered in diagnosing the complaint. During the season 1926—27 experimental work was carried out in the field with Bevin's anti-abortion vaccine, an account of which is given in the report of the officer in charge of the Veterinary Laboratory, Wallaceville. (6) Temporary sterility : This trouble still continues to be widespread throughout the districts where dairying is extensively carried on, and is a great source of loss and annoyance to the dairyfarmer, caused by the fact that a high percentage of the cows do not become pregnant until late in the season, and are correspondingly late in calving the following year. , Under such conditions the dairyfarmer is unable to make the most out of his pastures, as they are being eaten by cows heavy in calf, non-producing, and by the time they have calved the spring feed has almost disappeared. Consequently good returns cannot be looked for from such animals, although this may not be due to any fault in the individual cow. Our investigation and experience so far have not been of such a nature as would justify the officers of the Division in stating that the disease is due to any one cause, but rather leads us to believe that there are a number of different factors which can cause the trouble. Further investigation is an urgent necessity, and this will be vigorously pursued during the coming season by the various officers set aside for this special duty. With the view of ascertaining to what extent mineral deficiency in pastures bears upon this complaint, a feeding experiment was carried out in the Wairarapa. Four herds were chosen, and in each case the herds were divided equally. One half, in addition to the pastures, were fed on a specially selected diet, in some instances containing minerals, while the other half were kept as controls and fed entirely upon the pastures. Briefly, the results were not beneficial as far as sterility was concerned. The experiment, however, demonstrated the beneficial results of feeding concentrates even when the natural food was plentiful. The milkyield was increased to such an extent that it paid for all the concentrates consumed and left a considerable balance. Blackleg.—The position in recent years with reference to this disease has become less acute in both the Taranaki and Auckland Provinces as a result of the campaign carried out by officers of the Division over a period of years, and consequently with considerable benefit to the farmers, while satisfactorily safeguarding the position. A slight increase in the number of deaths from this cause is reported in the Franklin and Whangarei districts, while a considerable decrease has been noted in the Taranaki District. At the present time inoculation is only carried out on those farms where the disease is known to exist, and on all young stock leaving the respective districts. Entire satisfaction is experienced with present methods for controlling the disease ; this, while safeguarding the health of our stock is an enormous saving of labour to the Department and stockowners generally. Parturient Eclampsia - -During the early spring months a number of outbreaks occurred from this cause in various parts of the Dominion. Two herds were affected in the Wairarapa district, several cases were reported from Marlborough, and in the Waikato the disease almost assumed epidemic propensities. The disease makes its appearance up to three weeks after calving. In some cases the animals drop dead, while in others they go down and die within a few hours. As this disease has only been seen in this country within the past few seasons, and only in a few isolated cases, there has not been much opportunity for investigation into the matter. A suggestion comes from abroad that the condition is in some way associated with the calcium contents of the blood. Further investigation into the cause of the complaint is necessary.

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