MORTALITY AMONGST STOCK

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 86, 11 April 1922, Page 4

MORTALITY AMONGST STOCK

ON THE HAURAKI PLAINS. BETTER WATER SUPPLY NEEDED. (By Telcgrapti.— Own Correspondent.) THAMES, this day. Heavy mortality among stock on the Hauraki Plains is said to be causing settlers a good deal of alarm, the principal reason being the lack of drinking water for stock. Artesian and other ■bores have been sunk, but the water from a great many sources contains minerals and acids, some of which are most detrimental to the nealth of stock. The authorities state that although the land is some of the finest in Iho Dominion, and whilst the plains are being effectively drained, steps at the same time must, ! be taken to insure a pure water supply. At the present time there is considerable sickness among stock, several diseases being prevalent, of which the commonest to the district, and one of the most seri ous. particularly to cattle, is the Zetaiki worm, which breeds in stagnant water in many parts of the plains. A disease which is also said to be very common mi the Hauraki Plains is tuberculosis, although official testing is believed to be having a good effect. Ulceration is aisn very prevalent, and is causing settler? n good deal of worry, while inflammatory mammitis is also causing a good deal of uneasiness. It-is understood that an average of 220 cases per month have been dealt with in the last five months, only five of which have been cured. In one week over 200 cases of this disease wenattended by a veterinary surgeon. Thr prevalence of mammitis" on the plains iaccounted to for a largo extent by tbe weakening of the constitution of animal* due to the. eating of watery feed and thr likelihood of chills caused by beasts lying on wet ground.