M. (1) 8
REPORT OF THE COLONIAL VETERINARY SURGEON, Hong Kong, for the year 1938.
SECTION I.
(a) The Colony of Hong Kong, owing to the lack of grazing facilities and the lack of suitable land which could be used for growing forage crops, is unsuitable for the breeding and rearing of large animals. Owing to this, its place in animal husbandry, where horses and cattle are concerned, is that of a consumer. Activities of the Colony in respect of these animals commence at their death.
Sheep are not bred in the Colony.
Goats. A small number are kept by members of the Indian community as a source of milk supply. A large number of the kids are slaughtered as the supply of cheap fodder is insufficient to support more than a certain number.
Swine. No large pig breeding, rearing or feeding establishments exist but there are a number of pig rearing and feeding establishments which accommodate 100 animals or more. In addition to these, there is a very large number of "sty" owners who breed, rear and feed up to 20 pigs. These animals are fed largely on market crops which are not of sufficiently good quality for the market, vegetable offal such as cabbage leaves and broken rice and "slops" from hotels, restaurants, etc.
Poultry. During recent years, a number of poultry farms have come into existence. These are largely stocked with White Leghorn birds. Imported birds lay well and produce an egg of good size and quality, but there is a strong tendency for the succeeding generation to fall off in laying qualities and to produce a small egg with a tendency to softness in the shell. If these defects are to be avoided, very careful diet is essential and, especially, generous feeding of the young chicks.
In addition to these farms, there is a large number of people who raise a few chickens either as a part-time occupation or as a hobby. While this Colony is unfortunate in the meagreness of its stock-raising facilities, there are excellent stock-raising districts in southwest China which send their stock to the local market. Owing to their having cheaper labour, cheaper and more plentiful food supplies and, above all, good grazing facilities, they can place their stock on the local market at a lower figure than the local producer. The low financial ceiling of the market produced by this has a strong limiting effect on local activities as the local producer has to depend on good prices, caused by reduced supply from outside, to give him an opportunity of selling at a profitable price.
(b) The position as regards animal health is good and, on the whole, improving. Serious outbreaks of disease are few and becoming fewer. Infestation with the common helminths is fairly widespread, but cases where the infestation is of sufficient severity to affect the host seriously are few. Apart from this, parasitism is not a factor of serious economic importance.
(c) At present, the animal industry may be described as static owing to limited food supplies, but it is hoped that collaboration between the veterinary staff and the Botanical and Forestry Department staff will succeed in bringing some of the waste land under forage crops.
(a) Disease Control.
SECTION II.
(1) FIELD OPERATIONS.
During the past year, the ordinary measures of quarantine of imports, segregation of suspected cases and stoppage of movement, where the circumstances indicated this, have been fairly effective. As the hostilities in adjacent Chinese territory caused an influx of animals somewhat difficult to control, we are fortunate in having