HC Deb 30 July 1951 vol 491 cc145-6W
Mr. Snow

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of poultry blood-tested under his Department's arrangements for the latest convenient period in 1951 and for the same period in 1950, in the county of Staffordshire.

Mr. T. Williams

The number of birds tested for bacillary white diarrhoea in Staffordshire by my Department's officers between 1st May and 30th June, 1951, was 26,200, as compared with 21,560 tested in the same period last year.

Mr. Snow

asked the Minister of Agriculture what check is employed by his poultry advisory officer in the county of Staffordshire to ascertain the true number of poultry yet to be blood-tested this year.

Mr. T. Williams

A list of the flocks to be tested for bacillary white diarrhoea is compiled at the beginning of the season by the county poultry advisory officer. The approximate number of birds in each flock is known from previous tests or, if there has been no previous test, from the report of the advisory officer's inspection. As the veterinary officers are supplied with these particulars they are able to compute, whenever it is necessary to do so, how many birds remain to be tested.