STOCK AILMENTS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21255, 29 August 1934, Page 5

STOCK AILMENTS

SUCCESSFUL WORK BY THE CAWTHRON INSTITUTE U'RB33 ASSOCIATION TBLBOBA.M.) NELSON, August 28. Interviewed to-day about the use of kelson soil in combating stock ailments, Mr T. Rigg, Director of the Cawthron Institute, said additional evidence had been obtained from investigations by the institute in the Nelson district that soil played an important part in certain cases in the Maintenance of stock health.

"A sheep ailment apparently identical with the bush sickness of the North Island has been successfully combated on certain granite soils of the Nelson area by the use of a small supplement of soil taken from healthy areas," he said. "Where the normal pasture of sheep has been supplemented by the administration in drench form of less than half an ounce ox healthy Nelson soil twice weekly, perfect health and condition have been maintained over a period of two years." Mr Rigg added that the exact role of the soil in the prevention of the ailment had not so far been elucidated, but the success achieved in this experiment suggested certain types. The ailment and unthriftiness were dependent not only on the quality of the pasture, but also on the properties of the soils associated with them.