§ Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the various stock-breeding societies are co-operating with his Ministry in the promotion of artificial insemination of livestock; and which societies are averse to the system and for what reasons?
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Mr. HudsonAt this early stage, my Department is controlling, rather than promoting, the practice of artificial insemination of cattle, and the first part of the Question does not, therefore, arise. With regard to the latter part, the attitude generally of the cattle breed societies is one of caution rather than of aversion.
§ Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Minister of Agriculture what progress is being made with the system of artificial insemination of various types of livestock; what stations now exist for this purpose; and the latest available statistics for Russia and other countries?
Mr. HudsonUnder the Regulations for the control of artificial insemination of cattle that came into operation on 1st November, four licensed stations, including the two experimental stations at Cambridge and Reading, are now in operation, and applications for licences for several other projected stations are under consideration. No official statistics are available relating to artificial insemination in Russia and in other countries. I might add that two British experts are at present in the United States of America on behalf of the Agricultural Improvement Council, studying the development of the practice in that country.