STOCK POISONING

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 234, 1 July 1939, Page 5 (Supplement)

STOCK POISONING

Stories Of Reporoa Said To Be Exaggerated

Stories which had been circulated about large stock losses from alleged arsenical poisoning in the Reporoa district were found after careful inquiry to be greatly exaggerated, said Mr. I. G. Mclntosh, B.Sc.. of (he animal research station, Department of Agriculture, Wallaceville, in an address to the annual conference of th.e Veterinary Association of New Zealand in Wellington.

Mr, Mclntosh said that what had previously been large holdings were now comparatively- small, and the stock was confined to definite mineral spring areas. The pastures were poor in quality, and the stock did not maintain condition. Cows brought into the district quickly went down in condition after calving, and red-water was common in the district. Last year a sample of mud was analyzed by the chemistry laboratory, Department of Agriculture, and a definite existence of arsenic xvas slioxvn. There was a good deal of swampy land and mud holes in the Waiotapu thermal area, and it was found that water from cei'tain springs contained appreciable quantities of arsenic. Hot springs .in’ the district slwved a great variation of arsenic content —from quite free to a fairly high concentration. Almost invariably, no signs of arsenic were found on rising ground. A competent live stock officer was stationed in tlie district to make observations, and an officer from the chemistry division made an intensive survey of the arsenic content of the soil, mud, springs and drains. Experiments were carried out at Wallaceville to determine the effect of feeding typical mud containing arsenic to cattle. Though this mud yvas fed over a prolonged period, no ill-effects were observed. It was concluded, therefore, that stock showed a fairly high degree of tolerance to arsenic in this form. This was borne out by observations in the field, where it was found tliat, though some beasts became very ill and died, the majority were resistant to the effects of arsenic and merely lost condition.

Arsenical poisoning could apparently be prevented by fencing oft swamps and springs.