STOCK MORTALITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23481, 19 October 1939, Page 9

STOCK MORTALITY

DAIRY HERDS SIJEEEB

BAY OF PLENTY DISTfr:CTS SERIOUS LOSS TO FARMERS ; REPLACEMENT DIFFICULTY -it[BY TELEGRAPH OWX CORRESfOXDEXT] OPOTIKI, Wednesday Farmers in the Bay of Plenty and East Coast districts are suffering, losses through heavy mortality among their dairy herds this year. It will .not be possible to make good the loss, as there does not appear to be any surplus dairy stock available. The severe winter has been one oE the main causes of the high mortality rate, herds coming into profit with the cows in a weak condition and thus easily attacked by disease. Rapid recovery of pastures during the pas'i month has added another problem to the already harassed dairyman, a'si bloating is causing real concern on all hands, and already on many farms the loss lias been considerable, in some cases 10 per cent of the total herd. Nothing outstanding in the way of cures has been discovered. A continuous watch is' being kept on the herds on nearly every farm on the heavy Hat country and herds are quickly removed from paddocks and kept on the move as soon as animals are noticed to be affected. Production at the beginning of the season was even lower than last year, but a short time ago the butter-fat commenced to show a substantial increase. However,, any big increase over last year's production is now hardly likely in view of the heavy stock losses.

CONCERN IN NORTH

CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE FEEDING ON MOIST CLOVER POSITION VIEWED SERIOUSLY: [•BY TELEGHAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] RAIT AT A,' Wednesday The prevalence of bloat in the dairy herds is reported by farmers of the Mangonui County, and it is stated to be causing much loss. The disease l\as assumed more serious proportions than has been the case in the past and is causing great concern in the community. ..."

The condition is due to cattle feeding on clover when there, is moisture about and settle.d on the grass. Mist, it has been noted, is as bad as a downfall of rain in bringing on the complaint to cattle eating in clover pastures. . ..

Cattle losses in the * county .have been serious during the spring, W-hen the farmers have been unable to keep a constant watch over their herds. On several farms the owners have been compelled to be with the stock continually in order to animals in the first stage of the. complaint. One farmer stated that he has to drive his cattle, from one of ; his paddocks in which* there is a great percentage .of clover after only 20 minutes', gracing. Various treatments have been tried. One of the most successful, stateo a dairyman, is to. give each a dose o" four teaspoonsful of essence of peppermint. • : * . v "