STRANQE SHEEP PARASITE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 41, 12 November 1907, Page 2

STRANQE SHEEP PARASITE.

CRUBS IN THE BRAIN. FATAL EFFECT AT CLAREVILLE. Mr. H. A. Reid, of the Government Vetera inary Department, has forwarded an interesting report oil some live grubs found in the brain of a valuable sheep owned by Mr. Colin Campbell, of Clarevillc. Those grubs, writes our Wairarapa correspondent, wore of largo size, and their effect was to cause "staggers in the animal which very soon died. Mr. Campbell performed a post mortem and forwarded tho parasites to the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Reed reported that these grubs were tho egg life of a small fly of a yellowish grey hue. The fly deposited its eggs upon the body of the sheop, eventually setting up an irritation causing the sheep to rub the spot with its nosi. The foreign germ was then in this manner introduced into tho nostrils of the animal. These germs would be very numerous, and would remain in the nasal cavities for ten months, the period of incubation. The lioxt process would bo a feeling of irritation by the sheep and ,tho perfect insect would bo expelled in tho mucus by the snorting of the victim The report continued that treatment was very difficult, owing to tho fact that these eggs possessed great vitality, and it would bo very difficult to administer a specific that would destroy the eggs and at the same time would not harm the sheep or host. In veterinary language, any animal possessing a disease is termed the. host, efforts should bo made to prevent the attacks of the fly. This might be done by clearing away scrub, bushes, rushes and gorse from the land on which the sheep were running. The sheep's nostrils might also be smeared with a mixture of creosoto, turpentinoi and oil. This might prevent contamination. Troatmont of this nature, however, would only afford temporary relief. Interference with tho life' cycle of tho fly was the only effectual remedy, ill'. Reed further stated that as a rule tfio parasites wore expelled naturally by tho sheep, and they did not appear to occasion any serious trouble except when tho invasion was of a very severe nature. UNGRADED BUTTER. THE SUGGESTED EMBARGO. The main contest at the recent International Dairy Congress at tho Haguo (says a writer in the " Glasgow Herald") raged arouiul the question as to whether countries importing butter. may mako regulations so as to refuse the butter from countries where it is not made under Government control. The question, in so far as the United Kingdom is concerned, is not 0110 in which very much interest has so far been taken, inasmuch as Britain is always tho buyer in these matters, and has so far taken the attitude of controlling tho imported dairy produce at her own ports, without regard to what may be done in tho countries sending the produce. There is 110 doubt, howevor, that if Britain were to take up the attitude of refusing to admit butter from countries where control was not compulsory) there would bo a very marked difference in_ tho character of somo of the produce. This remark; would apply notably to Holland itself, which lias become notorious for tho two extremes— namely, the excellence of tho control which is exercised by the Government control stations ovor butter manufacturers who voluntarily becomo subject to theiti, and also for tho clever and continuous adulteration which takes placo in butter by Dutch exporters, who refuse to become'subject to the control. . The British Government was represented at tlie Congress by Sir Edward Strachcy, of

tho Board of Agriculture, and it was tacitly agreed that it might bo possible. for . the Government to take some definite attitude m tho matter, but that it would bo impossible to pledge the British Government to any such attitude at present.