H.—29.

Health of Live-stock. Horses.—No serious outbreak of disease has occurred to mar the season's breeding and production. Horses have remained healthy- The subsidy provided under the Remounts Encouragement Act was granted to thirty-nine stallions stationed at convenient centres. Cattle and Sheep.—No serious disease was reported, and the occurrence of scheduled diseases was dealt with under the Stock Act. CATTLE. Scheduled Diseases under the Stock Act. Tuberculosis.—The number of cattle condemned under the Stock Act for tuberculosis during the year amounted to 5,237 head, 4,855 being condemned on clinical symptoms and 382 reactors to the tuberculin test, The tuberculin test was applied to 9,664 cattle, of which number 382 reacted, giving a percentage of 3-9. At the owner's request 8,155 cattle were tested. Actinomycosis and A'ctinobacillosis.-—During the year 596 animals were condemned for this disease, and a large number of affected animals were successfully treated. Malignant Growths.—The number of animals condemned for malignant growths was 260, compensation being paid in accordance with the Stock Act. Anthrax—No cases of anthrax have occurred on the two farms in the Bombay district, where the disease was recorded last year. Control measures by vaccination of all stock on these properties is being carried out. Blackleg. -The number of calves vaccinated against tins disease in Taranaki was 15,124 and Auckland 31,922, making a total of 47,046. In the Auckland district there were 291 outbreaks, as compared with 292 last year. Jobnes Disease.—Animals affected with this disease have been condemned on a clinical examination. Thirty-five animals have thus been dealt with in the Taranaki district, as compared with twenty-nine last year. Some new farms have been shown to have infected animals. Non-scheduled Diseases. Grass Staggers in Cows (Grass Tetany).—Last spring some fairly severe losses occurred. The disease attacked herds of the beef breeds as well as dairy herds, and is being recorded in some districts where it was practically unknown in former years. Parasitic Disease in Young Cattle. —Parasitic bronchitis and parasitic gastro-enteritis of young stock continue to be reported in the main dairying centres. The change-over from butter to cheese manufacture will no doubt militate against the rearing of calves, many owners preferring the use of skim-milk to whey for calf-rearing-SHEEP. Pregnancy Toxaemia, (Ante-partum Paralysis) in Ewes.—ln the South Island, owing to a severe winter and late spring, a considerable amount of pregnancy toxaemia in ewes was seen in the districts thus affected. Entero-toxaania in young lambs continues to be well controlled by the use of ewe vaccination, which is now extensively practised on Otago and Southland farms. Epizootic Icterus.—Apart from a rather heavy loss of sheep due to Epizootic icterus in the Te Kuiti and Te Awamutu districts, no serious mortalities of sheep have taken place during the year. PIGS. The incidence of disease in pigs remains at about the same level as formerly. Suipestifer Infection. —This disease continues to be the cause of a considerable amount of sickness in pigs, followed by losses on many farms. Stephanurus Dentatus (Kidney Worm of the Pig).—The finding at time of slaughter of further instances of pigs affected with this disease led to the location of the farm of origin. An amendment to the Stock Regulations was introduced during the year with the view of controlling the further possible introduction of this parasitic disease of pigs from Australia. Swine Husbandry. The report of Mr. M. J. Scott, Superintendent of the Pig Industry, is submitted herewith:— " The year just finished has been one of further adjustment to pig-production. Following the instructions received early in the year that no more bacon was to be exported, advice was first'received that 5,000 tons of bacon, and later, 11,000 tons, would be accepted by Great Britain. This later advice, accompanied by permission to include porkers for shipment along with other meats, made normal production reasonably possible. This year's killings, 998,172, exceeded last year by 16,000, but the weight of pig-meat killed decreased by about 4,700 tons, this balance being struck on a decrease of 10,400 tons of baconers and choppers and an increase of 5,700 tons of porkers. " The grading of baconers has been maintained at about the same level as last year. There has been a big reduction in the number of pedigree sows recorded, and a general disinterest in the other pig-improvement schemes that were in operation. Arising from the increase of the levy on pigs killed from 2d. to 3d. per head, the District Pig Councils are now financially independent, and have maintained their advisory service where possible." Meat Inspection and Slaughter of Stock. The standard of inspection of all meat and meat products has been maintained throughout the year, although the reduction of trained personnel necessitated some war-time replacements. The numbers of stock slaughtered at meat export slaughterhouses were: Sheep, 3,078,956; lambs, 11,095,784; cattle, 384,729; calves, 984,539; swine, 775,057; and, at abattoirs, sheep, 763,844; lambs 152,537; cattle, 173,106; calves, 51,546; swine, 177,984.

3