§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether beasts sent k Belfast are frequently detained; are the owners of beasts so detained advised of the fact promptly; and has he recently received complaints of neglect of such detained beasts, for whose keep ample charges are made?
§ Mr. RUSSELLCattle intended for shipment may be detained at Belfast or other port if in the opinion of the Department's inspectors they present symptoms indicative of certain diseases, or are unfit to travel owing to injury, fatigue or other cause; or if visibly or obviously in calf. Detention may also occur through delays in the sailings of vessels or the insufficiency of accommodation on vessels. The Department have no information as to the practice of the carrying companies with regard to acquainting owners when cattle are so detained. They have had no recent complaints of neglect of detained animals.
§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYalso asked whether any regulation is in force preventing the shipping of beef beasts suffering from blind spore alone; and will he have inquiries made as to whether this slight defect has been the cause of loss of markets in the North of Ireland?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe reference is assumed to be to the condition known as "blind spins," a defective condition of udders or teats of cattle. Under the only provision of the Tuberculosis (Ireland) Order now continuing in operation, cattle suffering or appearing to suffer from tuberculosis of the udder, indurated udder, or other chronic disease of the udder, may not be shipped from Ireland to Great Britain. An animal suffering from the condition above named would probably be subject to this provision. I shall have inquiries made, as suggested in the latter part of the question.