Sheep stagger to death

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 12

Sheep stagger to death

PA Wellington Wellington mushroom gatherers are unwittingly causing the deaths of sheep suffering from grass staggers. The disease makes the animals unsteady on their feet, and sheep, on steep hillsides have tumbled to their deaths after being frightened by wandering city people. Farmers in the Wellington area are now so concerned about the problem that they have made a plea to Wellington people to “keep off” until the disease passes. Hundreds of sheep have died after falling down hillsides, breaking limbs or tumbling into creeks, says an Ohariu Valley farmer, Mr Russell Hume, secretary of the Makara-Hutt branch of Federated Farmers. Mushroom gatherers were one of the causes of the fatal falls, though other things could also frighten stock. But city people were now a significant cause of stock deaths on some farms, he said. “Sheep with ryegrass staggers are unsure on their

feet, and they fall over a lot when they are moved. If they happen to be standing on the side of a steep hill and they lose their balance they will roll right down the hill,” he said. “They cannot regain their balance because they have no control over their limbs. Either they hit the bottom with a bang or they end up in the creek and they drown.” It was a problem now

t faced by farmers throughout r the Wellington-Hutt-Porirua • area, as well as Wairarapa. r “We want to appeal to I people to keep right away : from the farms until the disease passes. It will prob- • ably be about May befot • that happens — we had it . badly two years ago and it i was May before it came ) right.” '■ He emphasised that he was not blaming the people themr selves. They did not realise

the effect they were having on stock, and most co-oper-ated fully with the farmer when approached. “But we are trying to get the message across that the chances are very great that they will be responsible for the death of stock.” the cause of ryegrass staggers is not well understood, but it may be linked with a fungus in the ground which forms particularly in dry wheather.