asked the Minister for agriculture if he will state to any convenient date in the current calendar year the number of reactor cows purchased (a) in the previous twelve months and (b) in the corresponding period in each of the two previous years.

The number of reactor cows purchased by my Department in the twelve months ended 31st October, 1959, was 68,113. During the twelve months ended 31st October, 1958, the number was 18,512, and during the twelve months ended 31st October, 1957, it was 8,797.