HC Deb 14 December 1961 vol 651 cc611-7
9. Sir J. Duncan

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to eliminate all danger to British livestock arising from the recent outbreaks of disease in recently imported Charollais bulls.

10. Mr. Wade

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what precautions were taken to test the health and condition of the Charollais bulls before purchase; and whether his Departmental scientists made the necessary tests.

12. Mr. Gibson-Watt

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the serious outbreak of disease in the Charollais bulls under the control of his Department, he will cause the bulls to be destroyed.

13. Mr. Kimball

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the results of the study of the treatment of bovine leptospirosis; and if he is satisfied that animals which have recovered from the disease are no longer carriers of it.

21. Mr. MacArthur

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the extent of bovine leptospirosis infection among the Charollais bulls recently imported; how many bulls have been slaughtered and what action he is taking to prevent the spread of leptospira in matter excreted by the bulls.

25. Sir A. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the results of the veterinary tests made on the Charollais bulls recently imported on Government account from France; whether leptospirosis could have been diagnosed before the bulls were shipped from France; and whether he is fully satisfied that the extended period of quarantine now imposed on the surviving bulls in this country will ensure that they cannot be found later on to be carriers of this or some other disease from which we are free in Britain.

35. Sir C. Thornton-Kemsley

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the damage to the United Kingdom's export trade in pedigree beef cattle, as well as to the industry as a whole, from the threat of leptospirosis, with which three of the imported Charollais bulls were found to be suffering, he will order the immediate return to France of the remaining twenty-seven animals.

Mr. Soames

Before these bulls were purchased, tests for leptospirosis and other diseases were carried out by the French veterinary services, and with permission I will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT particulars of the requirements which we laid down for these tests.

Further tests were conducted when the bulls were in quarantine in this country. As a result of our tests, three bulls reacted to a type of leptospira. This organism cannot be successfully eliminated by treatment with vaccines or antibiotics, and animals which have apparently recovered may remain as carriers. For this reason the three reactor bulls have been destroyed. This removes the known source of possible infection and there is therefore no need at present to consider slaughtering the remaining bulls.

Further tests have been and will continue to be carried out to make sure that the disease has not been transmitted to the other animals.

No manure from any of the animals has left the quarantine station since they arrived. Generous disinfection has been carried out and in any event the organism survives only for a short time in urine. There is no risk of the disease spreading from the quarantine station while the animals are there. None of the animals will he released from quarantine until my veterinary advisers have assured me that they are free from disease.

Sir J. Duncan

Is it not better to send these bulls back to France to avoid any possible risk?

Secondly, will my right hon. Friend regard this as an object lesson, in case we join the Common Market, of the real danger to animal health, unless there are cast-iron safeguards?

Mr. Soames

An important feature of the arrangements which will have to be made if we join the Common Market will be proper arrangements for safeguarding animal health in this country. I cannot agree with my hon. Friend about the future of these animals. They were kept in quarantine because of this very danger. We appreciated it when we brought them over. They will remain in quarantine while there is any danger. But there is no reason whatsoever why they should not be released from quarantine and go to do the job for which they came over here once there is no further risk of disease.

Mr. Wade

I understand that tests were made by the Ministry's own veterinary officers. Is that the normal procedure and is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that precautions are adequate?

Mr. Soames

Yes, Sir. The tests in France were made by the French veterinary service, which is the customary practice of the exporting country. Tests in this country were made by our own veterinary service and will be continued until we are assured that there is no danger.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

Would it not have been better if this experiment had never taken place, in view of the advice given to my right hon. Friend now that it has happened? How can my right hon. Friend be certain that the manure and urine, in which the disease remains for several years, can be completely restricted and that the disease will not spread?

Mr. Soames

As I said, none of the manure has been allowed to leave the station since the animals came here. That is just the sort of eventuality which shows the immense pains which the veterinary service has taken to ensure that all precautions were taken. I cannot agree that it would have been better not to have made the importation. Of course there is risk of disease when importing cattle. It was always there and it was inherent in the import. The Committee which went into this matter in great detail found that there was a prima facie case for importing these animals to cross them with our dairy herds, with considerable benefit to the dairy industry in the long run.

Mr. Kimball

Would it not have been better if he had sent Ayrshire cattle to France rather than bringing these animals here?

Mr. Soames

No, Sir. Part of the experiment was to be able to assess the type of meat produced by these cattle and to see how it sold on the market here at home.

Mr. MacArthur

Can my right hon. Friend confirm that the leptospira in bovine leptospirosis can be transmitted in semen? In view of the uncertainty that still exists about the precise nature of this disease, will he make certain that the quarantine periods are extended so that there is no danger whatever of the disease being transmitted through artificial insemination from the bulls?

Mr. Soames

My hon. Friend may rest absolutely assured about that.

Mr. B. Harrison

Will my right hon. Friend now issue another order so that, after suitable veterinary examination, replacement bulls can be brought into this country?

Mr. Soames

I should like to consider that later when these bulls are let out from quarantine and we can study the situation as a whole.

Mr. Morris

Could this disease have been discovered in France before the bulls came here?

Mr. Soames

They were tested in France and the tests were negative.

Mr. Mackie

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that more than 700 of these bulls have been exported from France in the last year, and that not one went down in this test? Is he satisfied that there was not a false reaction? Were blood samples taken before slaughtering just to check that, for it is rather important? Is he aware that when Danish Reds came to this country, there was no trouble from the breed societies? Were those cattle tested for leptospirosis and is that disease known in Denmark? Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he will not yield to the pressure from the breed societies? Will he assure the House that he will not allow the breed societies in any way to sway him from carrying out this most important experiment, even though only a small number of bulls survive the quarantine period?

Mr. Soames

The cattle imported from Denmark were tested in Denmark for leptospirosis. However, it does not exist in Denmark as a disease in cattle. As for being swayed, we intend to continue with our plans as hitherto. It is unfortunate that four bulls were lost in this way.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.

Following is the information: Before the animals were permitted entry to this country, the French veterinary authorities were required to certify
  1. (a) that at the time of entry of the cattle into quarantine in France the whole of France was free from blue tongue disease,
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  2. (b) that the cattle were drawn from premises on which Johne's disease is not known to exist,
  3. (c) that within 14 days before movement into quarantine at Brest the animals had passed tests for tuberculosis, brucellosis and leptospirosis,
  4. (d) that leptospirosis had not been diagnosed in the herd of origin in the previous 12 months.
  5. (e) that during the 3 months immediately prior to the removal of the cattle to the assembly point, no case of foot-and-mouth disease had existed within 16 kilometres of the place from which the cattle were drawn.
  6. (f) that foot-and-mouth disease does not exist, and had not existed during the previous six months on the premises from which the cattle were drawn, and that the cattle offered for purchase had not been affected with or vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease.
  7. (g) that before movement from the farm the animals showed no evidence of being affected with foot-and-mouth disease.
  8. (h) that the cattle were moved by specially disinfected road vehicles to the assembly point without approaching within 16 kilometres of premises where foot-and-mouth disease had occurred within three months prior to movement.
  9. (j) that each assembly point was specially cleansed and disinfected before the arrival of the cattle offered for purchase and that during the whole period of assembly no other cattle, sheep, pigs or goats were present and that in the previous three months no case of foot-and-mouth disease had occurred within 16 kilometres of the assembly point.
  10. (k) that inspection of all animals at each assembly point showed no clinical evidence of foot-and-mouth disease.
  11. (l) that the cattle were detained in the quarantine station at Brest for at least 28 days prior to shipment to Great Britain and during that period were under regular veterinary supervision and remained healthy and at the time of shipment showed no clinical signs of any contagious, infectious or parasitic disease affecting cattle.
  12. (m) that all feed used in the quarantine station at Brest was of British origin.
  13. (n) that the animals were moved from the quarantine station at the end of the quarantine period direct by specially disinfected road vehicle to the aircraft for export.
20. Mr. MacArthur

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with the Parliamentary Secretary for Science about the relationship between the leptospira of bovine leptospirosis and the leptospira of rat leptospirosis which is the cause of Weil's disease in man.

Mr. Soames

The leptospira to which the three bulls have reacted is a species distinct from that which causes Weil's disease in man

The Agricultural Research Council for which my noble Friend the Minister for Science is responsible, has been consulted and supports this finding.