Livestock Hauliers Deny Causing
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Swine Fever Among Pig Traffic THE danger of swine fever makes it necessary to confine the transport of young pigs exclusively to a vehicle run by experienced pig dealers, the NorthWestern Deputy Licensing Authority, Mr. J. R. Lindsay, was told at Manchester on Monday.
He was hearing an application by Mr. D. O. E. Bradley, a Sailsworth farmer, applying to transfer a 41-ton vehicle from an agricultural licence to a new B licence, with conditions: "Cattle and pigs within 100 miles of base."
Seven livestock carriers and British Railways objected. Mr. J. Booth, for the applicant, said agreement had been reached with the railways to exclude cattle and all port traffic from the conditions.
Sailsworth Was the centre of a green belt, he said, and had a substantial pigfattening industry, using kitchen waste from Manchester. Normal' livestock carriers had mixed loads and there was grave danger of exposure to swine fever. Both Mr. Bradley and his witnesses had suffered heavy losses through swine fever and they wanted a specialist vehicle at their disposal.
In evidence, Mr. Bradley said there were more than 8,000 pigs in Sailsworth of which he owned 800. His stock had suffered from swine fever twice this year and on the last occasion his loss was 1500.
The vehicle was bought in February for his own use, but it was also necessary to carry to markets within 100 miles from Driffield, where his parents were pig breeders, and from the farms of his six brothers. Local fatteners also wanted to use the vehicle.
Mr. J. Bradley, Droylesden, said that after having swine fever among his stock four times in 1956 when using licensed cattle carriers he converted a small vehicle of his own, but this was now required to collect swill.
Mr. D. Adams, secretary of the Woodhouse and Sailsworth Farmers' Association, said veterinary surgeons had often found that when swine fever broke out the farm supplying the pigs was free. The only conclusion to be drawn was that the transport was responsible for the infection.
After evidence by three hauliers that their livestock vehicles were available for this type of work and were washed and inspected at the various Narkets between each load, Mr. J. A. Backhouse, on their behalf, said there was no evidence of need apart from the question of swine fever. This disease could not be proved to be due to the vehicles.
Refusing the application, Mr. Lindsay said he could not take into account swine fever in assessing the need, as this was one of the hazards of pig-keeping.
HAULIERS' NEW DEPOT
rTh.A NEW depot has been opened in Clarence Street, Hull. by Hull and Glasgow Road Carriers, Ltd. It incorporates a large loading bank and a special service bay for vehicle overhauls, a mobile crane for handling heavy ' machinery and several other innovations.