LUXURIANT PASTURES

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11437, 6 February 1923, Page 3

LUXURIANT PASTURES

DANGER OF FOOT-ROT. IN WAIRARAPA DISTRICT. The pastures in the Wairarapa district, particularly in certain portion*, are most luxuriant at present, due doubtless to the recent heavy rains. Last month was one of the wettest, for some years past. Coming after several months of dry weather, the rains have forced the gTass to such an extent that there is now 'every danger of foot-iot in certain parts of the district. "We have too much feed/' remarked a settler to a "Times” representative yesterday. "That is the trouble. Forgone thing there is little real substance in it, and then again ,th *ro is the danger of foot-rot. It looks as if thore will be a double dose of it this season, as it has been an unusually wet January. Feed is abundant everywhere, and sheep which had a touch of foot-rot or scald last autumn are already noliceably lame.” Ho went on to say that.the usual remedy was heavy stocking with cattle. With the shortage of cattle, however, in tho Hawke’s Bay district, prices have risen sharply, making it exceedingly difficult for farmers, recovering from the slump to adequately stock their holdings. Footrot troughs are being freely used, and it Is hoped that within a few weeks the trouble will abate. Another settler remarked that the luxuriant pastures would also have a bad! effect, on the fat lambs coming forward. . There was little real nourishment either in the grass or the rape crops, and this had a tendency to make the young stock sour.