DEATH OF SHEEP AT RAKAIA

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21686, 21 January 1936, Page 5

DEATH OF SHEEP AT RAKAIA

DRY FEED CONSIDERED TO BE CAUSE

SPECIAL DIET ADVOCATED The death of nearly 200 sheep on a station of about. 6000 acres situated on Rakaia Island .and belonging to Ford Bros., which was thought to have been caused by poisoning, has been found to have resulted from a condition caused by the dry state o* the pastures, when the matter was investigated by Government officials. The feed was too dry and there was an insufficiency of green, feed. It could not be digested and~ it formed into hard lumps in the sheeps' stomachs, causing an impacted condition of the bowels, where the hard lumps were also found. The deaths began to occur towards the end of November, and although a large number were affected the manager, Mr E. B. Ford, considered that the deaths were caused by tu-tu poisoning and did not attach very great importance to them. During a muster on December 21, and while the sheep, were in the yard, about 20 more died. The sheep were put back on the same country, and several more died. Suspicions of poisoning were then aroused as the sheep were dying at such a rate. The matter was put.in the hands of the police on January 3, who advised an analysis of some of the dead sheep, and Detectives. A. M. Harding and C. T. Burns went out to investigate. By now, 60 sheep had died, and the symptoms - pointed to strychnine poisoning. The Superintendent of Police. Mr A. Cameron, after the enquiries by the detectives, was not satisfied with the poisoning theory and issued instructions for an analysis to be made. Two sick sheep were brought in by the police and examined by Mr W. D. Blair, M.R.C.V.S., District Superintendent, of the Live Stock Division of the Agricultural Department, who stated that in his opinion, the condition of the sheep was hot consistent with poisoning. "Feed Too Dry" The sheep were then removed to the abattoirs and killed, where an examination of the organs was made by Mr Blair, who said that the death of the sheep was due to the impacted condition of the bowels. The feed which the sheep had eaten had been too dry. It had not been digested and had formed hard lumps in the bowels 6f the sheep, thereby causing death. The condition was known as enterotoxaemia, caused by the absorption of the poisons from the feed into the system. It was a condition which was often found in Western Australia and was common in dry areas. Two more of the sick sheep we're also killed at the station and were examined by Mr E. L. Siddalt, M.R.C.V.S., Government Veterinary Surgeon at Christchurch, who discovi ered the same condition as was found by Mr Blair. The Government Analyst, Mr F. J. T. Gregg, made an analysis, but could find no trace of any poison whatever. The sheep have since been removed to greener pastures and a marked improvement in condition has been noticed. Dr A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, who also made an examination, stated that he had found similar conditions on sheet* stations in Australia. Veterinarian's Views Mr A. Leslie, who is in charge of the veterinary, department at the Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, and to- whom the matter was referred yesterday, said that « condition . known as grass

staggers was frequently met with at this time of the year when "the grass was dry. The symptoms were found in animals, accompanied- by'' sevelte mineral disturbances in the: blood. There were separate conditions predisposing to mineral deficiency, which often came about after the ewes had - been giving milk. In his experience at Lincoln College .there had been a number of such cases. They could be picked before the trouble arose, and a change should be made to green feed such as lucerne or clover. A feed of oatsheaf chaff with bran and molasses had been found: very beneficial, as the, trouble was caused by a lack of magnesium salts, and the molasses and bran overcame the constipation caused in "the sheep. The .results of this diet had been found excellent at Lincoln College, and a cure had been usually effected in 10 days., The disease was one of nutrition.' .