DEATH OF 200 SHEEP

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 20, 24 January 1936, Page 11

DEATH OF 200 SHEEP

DRYNESS OF PASTURES

The unaccountable death of nearly 200 sheep during December on a Canterbury station has been discovered to be due to the extremely dry condition of the pastures c.t the time. Suspicions of poisoning were aroused at first by the appearance of the sheep, but after investigations had been made by Government officials, these were proved unfounded.

Death was due to the feed being too dry, and to an insufficiency of green feed. It could not be digested. Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, who also made an examination, stated that he had found similar conditions on sheep stations in Australia.

The station concerned is one of about 0000 acres, situated on Rakaia Island and owned by the Ford Brothers. The deaths began to occur towards the end of November, and although a large number of sheep were affected, the manager, Mr. E. B. Ford, considered they_ were due to tutu poisoning, and he" attached no great importance to them.

After 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, and, as the result of the inquiries by the detectives, instructions were issued for an analysis to be made. The Government analyst, Mr. F. J. T. Gregg, made an analysis, but could find no trace of any poison.

The sheep have since been removed to greener pastures, and a marked improvement in condition has been noticed.