CATTLE MORTALITY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 12 February 1921, Page 9

CATTLE MORTALITY.

PROBABLY DUE TO HEAT

STROKE

In connection with the deaths of several Queensland cattle at Homeoueh, the Chief Inspector of Stock has made available the report of Mr Max Henry, M.R.C.VS", who attended at the yards and made a post-mortem examination.

Mr Henry points but that in most of the consignments in which deaths occurred the cattle had been dipped ana trucked the same day. In one case six cattle died out of. a total, of 140 head. These, however, were loaded a$ Clifton en January 6, dipped, -a-nd reloaded at Wallangarra on the following day, and arrived in Sydney on the 9th, thus spending nearly two'days in the train. On arrival all the animals appeared in good condition,. but the weather was hot and muggy on Monday. The cattle aid not show the typical symptoms of arsenic poisoning, but analyses will be made of stomach contents.

"The animals," Mr Henry stated, "appeared to he suffering from heat stroke, as it was only during the close muggy hours that cases occurred, and swimming apparently greatly hastened recovery.. I may add that in 1909 I investigated an exactly similar mortality in cattle at Flemington which had never heen through any dip."