§ 49. Mr. William Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture what percentage of pigs in the United Kingdom are estimated to be infected with tuberculosis.
Mr. T. WilliamsTuberculosis in pigs is not notifiable under the Diseases of Animals Act, 1950. I regret that statistics of the incidence of the disease are, therefore, not available.
§ 50. Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture how long, on average, from the time of a positive reaction to tuberculosis a T.T. herd continues to supply infected milk.
Mr. T. WilliamsReaction of a cow to the tuberculin test does not imply infection of its milk. T.T. herds are tested regularly with the object of eliminating reactors, if present, at an early stage, before tubercle bacilli are likely to be secreted in the milk.
§ Mr. ShepherdIs it not a fact that in other countries milk is pasteurised as soon as a positive reaction is detected in a herd, and would not that be a very safe thing to do in this country?
§ Mr. BaldwinIs the Minister aware that immediately a reactor is found in a T.T. herd it is removed from the herd and a re-test of the whole herd takes place within a few days?