ENG-1958 — Page 120

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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

Pigeons. Pigeon keeping is now a thriving industry in Hong Kong and prices in 1958 ranged up to $9 a pair for squabs. One of the most popular types of table birds is the White or Blue King crossed with the Homer. The sales of squabs in 1958, at an average price of $6 a pair, were in excess of $1,500,000.

Milk. The dairy cattle in the Colony consist mainly of Friesians but there are also Ayrshires, Jerseys and Illawarra Shorthorns. These animals are concentrated in three areas-one large farm in Hong Kong, one large group of farms in the Diamond Hill area of Kowloon, and one smaller group in the Tsuen Wan district of the New Territories. There is also a small private farm on Lantau Island maintained by Trappist Monks. All these animals have passed the single intrademal (comparative) test for tuber- culosis. 10,431,850 pounds of milk were produced during 1958, valued at $9,398,665.

Peasant farmers are increasingly availing themselves of the advisory service of the Animal Industries Division. The Colony remained free during 1958 from rabies and rinderpest, but foot and mouth disease continued to occur in quarantine stations in animals imported for slaughter. There were also 70 outbreaks of a mild type of this disease in cattle and pigs in the New Territories and a similar outbreak in the dairies in the Diamond Hill area of Kowloon. The increasing realization amongst farmers of the value of preventive inoculation is shown by the fact that in 1958 19,180 pigs were inoculated against swine fever and 11,248 cattle against rinderpest. 3,688,500! doses of Ranikhet vaccine and 3,015,820 doses of Intranasal Drop vaccine were used for the prevention of Newcastle disease. The veterinary diagnostic labora- tory is well established and, in addition to this diagnostic service, is producing lapinised rinderpest vaccine for use in the Colony.

In view of the inadequate land resources of Hong Kong and the small cattle population, no work has been done on the improve- ment of pastures. Extensive grazing is not practised. Instead, dairy cattle are stall fed, using planted guinea grass as green fodder and concentrates, and are exercised in courts. Working animals are fed cut fodders and a little concentrate. Through its extension service the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Department has demon- strated the value of planting up rice bunds and other available areas

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