THE ANNUAL SHEEP RETURNS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 21 June 1888, Page 2

THE ANNUAL SHEEP RETURNS.

The following interesting information is furnished by Chief Inspector Bayly in His animal report:— The total number of sheep in the Colon v on 31st May, ISS7, was 15,155,626, as against 15,174,263 for the previous year, or a decrease of 15.637. j A very considerable increase has taken j place in the export of frozen mutton, , 931,526 carcases having been slopped 1 during the year ended the 31st March last, or an increase of 224,559 over the* previous twelvo months. Napier supplied

155.057 ; Welkigton, 209,785 ; Canterbury, 316,455 ; and Otago, 250,229. The number of sheep boi’ed down amounted to 378,339, beings an increase of 52,859, while 215,192 were preserved, or an increase of 128,316. The infected Jist for the year ending the 31st March last shows the comparatively large total of G 4,743, of this number only some twelve thousand were actually infected flocks, the remainder being made up through tho whol) of each itation on which scab was discovered having by law to bo declared infected, and no .scab has been seen in any of these flocks since January, and all arc now witliin fences. The outbreak was

discovered in the first place on Mr Bu’len’s Green Hills Run, at Kaikoura, on JT tlie southern extremity of the Marlborough District, and almost simultaneously another one was reported at Tophouse, on the boundury between Marlborough and Nelson. At Mr Bullen’s the infection ■was confined to about seven thousand, although tho flock, numbering thirty thousand, h'd to be declared unclean. No scab has been seen there since January. The bush bas been fenced off where danger existed, and thoroughly scoured, and one of the most experienced Inspectors has been specially detailed to supervise all operations ; everything possible has and is being done by the owner to onsuro eradication of tho disease, and tho sheep are now being mustered for a clean certificate. Tho infection was traced to bush lands, of which some fifteen thousand acres exist on the southern boundary of tho run, to parts of which the adjoining flocks had access, and it surmised that some stragglers were left out when the sheep were gi anted their last dean certificate,and that these reinfected the flock when this country was again restocked. As a matter of fact, this area was restocked too soon. At Tophouse the scab was clearly traced to wild hush sheep. The case, however, was greatly Intensified owing to the manager of the station having concealed the outbreak for a considerable time. He c again reinfection occurred through rcstockmg bush country before sufficient time had been allowed h r destroying stragglers and wi'd sheep. Tho Infection extended as far as Mr D. Kerr’s Motupiko Station, which adjoins tho Tophouse Block, and at that time not fenced off from 11. Tho Infection in this flock was very limited. Tne high bush country has been fenced off, and the sheep have again obtain'd a clean certificate. At Tophouso fences have been erected, dividing all the rough country from the open land. It is proposed to hold what sheep are retained within this fence, and not to restock tho back country for at least two years, and in tho meantimo to thoroughly scorr it. A gang of men are now employ."! ‘n this c action, with tho result that some 800 wild sheep and stragglers, a number of which were scabby, have been already destroyed. All these sheep are now with’u fences, with the exception of a sina ‘ flock at Mount Patriarch run, which is a portion of the Tophouse block, *’icse sh op have remained clean hither ,o, but I much fear tlmt when the adjacent rough country is scoured for w’ld sheep and stragglers infection w’l follow. In fact, were this flock destroyed, tho country would he safer, I have ver j : ttle apprehension of any further outbreak. Should such occur, with tho amended Act of last session tho means to at once stamp it out are pro-

vidud. Tho most sercro test that the doubtful country has to vudergo arises from the fact that Mr W. Gibson, of Kaikoura, lias restocked tho country ] row n as the Bui Bui, between Waipapa and the flapuku Bivers. This is the run where ull tho sheep were destroyed in 1886, and compensation allowed by Gove, jment. Since then a gang of men hare been employed upon it and the neighboring Crown lands, scouring the country and dr stroying wild sheep and stragglers. Altogether, some ten thousand have been killed ; but no scab has been seen since February, ISS7, on or near the Bu'bui ; yet, when it is considered that no fencing had been erected prior to restocl "ng, and that the whole of this bush country will again bo overi an with the sheep now put on, it is evident a cei.ain risk exists. 80 soon as the sheep have had tirno to spread over the ground they wTI be mustered at once to ascertain if they have picked up any stragglers that may have b 3n left there, otherwise no further steps can ho taken until the spring. I should have preferred that tb’s rn remained uustocked for another twelve months. The restockuig of this cor it-/ has necessarily caused the withdrawal of the gang of wild sheep musterers, but a certain expenditure in this direction will still bo required next season at Tophouse, Bed Hills, and D’Ui. Jlo’s Island. There wero 270 wild sheep and stragglers destroyed at Kaikoura betw - :n August, 1887, and April, 1888, at a cost of LG7I Os <sd, as against 8500 previously at a cost of L 4361 2s. T.ie last scabby sheep killed was at Bui Bui in February, 1887. At Tophouso up to date about eight hundred wild sheep and stragglers have been destroyed, at a cost of about L 250. The work of scouring will require to he continued hero next spring as well as at D’Urville’s Island. Theso ere the only two places scab is known to ex : st, and only in the wild sheep.