The results of the bacteriological examination, of milk samples were satisfactory, although, occasioned by Grade "B" dairies exclusively and attributable to lack of skilled labour, ihe. number of unsatisfactory samples rose from 16 per cent, in 1936 to 19 per cent, in 1937.
Routine biological. tests for Tuberculosis during the year all gave negative results.
Over 8,000 routine examinations were made in accordance with the Milk and Dairies Regulations, showing that conditions on the whole can be termed satisfactory, and indicating an improvement over previous years.
The numbers of open T.B. suspect cases decreased, jas did the confirmed cases, which for last year were 6 per cent, as against 10 per cent. for 1086 and 14 per cent, for 1935.
Routine Tuberculin testing of 4 Grade "A" (TT) herds, 4 herds aspiring to Grade "A" (TT) Licence, as well as of imported animals, resulted in a total of 1,190 tests with 1.01 per cent. positive reactors, mainly amongst imported animals.
Of 1,275 tests of clean herds and imported animals for contagious abortion, 12 per cent. were positive reactors, mainly from U: S.A. and Canada. A considerable amount of work was done in an attempt to eradicate this disease from one dairy herd by means of isolation, but the work was nullified by the hostilities, making it unwise to draw any definite conclusion, although the indication was that this method of eradication is quite practicable.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.