§ Mr. W. Robertsasked the Minister of Agriculture whether any instructions have been issued to the war agricultural 341W executive committees with regard to the culling of herds of tuberculin-tested dairy cattle?
Mr. HudsonDetailed instructions have been issued to war agricultural executive committees regarding the culling of cattle. It has been made clear that the scheme of culling applies to inferior, diseased and unthrifty animals and that on a number of farms, particularly those carrying pedigree, milk recorded and attested herds, and those free from disease or with high yielding cows, no abnormal culling will be necessary.
§ Sir L. Lyleasked the Minister of Agriculture what was the estimated number of milk-giving dairy cows on 1st September, 1940, and on 1st September, 1941, respectively; and what is the estimate of the number of such cows which may be expected to give milk on 1st January, 1942?
Mr. HudsonDetailed statistics of the livestock population are not being published at the present time. The total number of cows and heifers in milk and in calf in the United Kingdom on 4th June last was, however, slightly higher than a year earlier despite the loss of the usual imports of dairy stock from Eire on account of foot-and-mouth disease in that country. Information with regard to the general position on 4th September will not be available for some weeks. Because of the uncertainty about future supplies of dairy stock from Eire I am unable to estimate whether there will be any significant change in the number of cows in milk on 1st January, 1942.