§ 54. Major Anstruther-Grayasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement about the recent outbreak of a disease among imported Landrace pigs.
§ Sir T. DugdaleAtrophic rhinitis has been confirmed amongst pigs bred from a Landrace sow imported from Sweden. This disease is transmissible by contact and, if unchecked, would have serious consequences upon efficient and economic pig production. I have therefore made Orders providing for the isolation, detention and, where necessary, slaughter of affected pigs and those in contact with them. Compensation will be payable for all pigs so slaughtered. I have also decided that for the time being no further Landrace pigs should be imported from Sweden. I regret that this step should 609 be necessary, particularly as an importation to which I had previously agreed for Scotland comes under the ban.
This disease has, I understand, led to the slaughter of several leading herds in Sweden and it has caused serious losses in other countries. I am satisfied that we ought to do everything possible to stamp it out quickly before it can get a hold in this country.
§ Major Anstruther-GrayMay the House take it that there is no doubt whatever that this disease originated in the Swedish imported pigs?
§ Sir T. DugdaleI think there is no doubt at all. The House may be interested to know that the pig that was affected was a boar, one of a litter of three out of a dam imported from Sweden.
Mr. T. WilliamsBefore the importation of the Swedish Landrace pigs, did any of our veterinary officers go over to Sweden and contact Swedish veterinary officers to ask them whether there was a clean bill of health or not?
§ Sir T. DugdaleYes, they did, most definitely. There is no question that the greatest possible trouble was taken. There was a quarantine in Sweden and over here, but the technical difficulty is that we cannot find out whether an animal has the disease before it actually develops it.