SHEEP DISEASE

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 March 1946, Page 4

SHEEP DISEASE

MINOR OUTBREAKS OF FACIAL ECZEMA EFFECT OF DRY SPELL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 20. There are fears that the drought experienced in the North Island this season might be followed by serious outbreaks of facial eczema among sheep. They have so far been proved unfounded. “We are not yet, however, completely out of the wood,” said the director of the Livestock Division of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. W. C. Barry, to-day. “There have been some minor outbreaks —notably near Whakatane, and in South Auckland. But these have been nothing more than normal. He said that there were each season some cases among particularly susceptible sheep and if the growth of grass continued to be gradual,’it could be hoped that any serious outbreak would be avoided. The recent drought in many parts of the North Island had not only affected detrimentally the quantity and quality of vegetables available, but also had caused serious economic loss to growers, said the chairman of the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners, Mr. B. V. Cooksley, to-day. The Government had, lor some time, expressed concern about the possibility of shortages of vegetables, particularly in the spring months, and this week the executive, of his organisation had met the Minister of Marketing, Mr. B. Roberts, to discuss the question. In spite of the present depleted supply the N a tional Growers’ Organisation was optimistic about the future. To meet the Minister’s wishes the Growers Council was at present conducting a quick survey of the acreages in a present and future production. The result would be announced soon. The growers hoped that the cont system would not be reintroduced, except on a wholly national basis, covering all growers and all veg tables.